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Hope resident survives being hit by train

Local woman in hospital with ‘serious injuries’ after being struck by train on Saturday
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A Hope woman is recovering from ‘serious injuries’ in hospital after being struck by a train near Fort St. and 6th Ave. on Saturday, June 8. Sarah Gawdin/Hope Standard

A well-known Hope woman is in hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a train on Saturday evening.

“On June 8, 2019, at approximately (seven o’clock in the evening), the Hope RCMP received a call that indicted there had been a collision between a train and pedestrian in the area of Fort Street and 6th Avenue,” said Staff Sergeant Karol Rehdner of the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment.

READ MORE: Family of 29-year-old Hope woman lay their loved one to rest, questions about her death remain

Attending the scene, Rehdner says officers found a person in need of medical attention and acted accordingly.

“The pedestrian was transported from the scene and eventually was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital (in New Westminster) for care. (They) suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital. Family members were located and are with the individual (in hospital at this time).

“RCMP members were able to interview numerous person on scene in an effort to determine what had occurred and lead to this incident,” Rehdner continued, “and would like to hear from any person who may have witnessed … this incident.”

READ MORE: Pedestrian fatally hit on railway in Agassiz

And although the RCMP are unable to confirm the person’s identity due to it being an on-going investigations, several members of the community have identified the woman as Valinda “Puffy” Inyallieas the victim of this weekend’s train accident.

“Our entire family has been through multiple losses in (a) short period of time,” Jeanie Kay-Moreno wrote in a Facebook post. “We are resilient, but also fragile, (so) please be patient with us (and) keep us all in your prayers.”

Inyallie’s sister, Shawnee, was in the news last year when she went missing without a trace and her body was discovered more than three months later in the Fraser River in the Delta area.

“Valinda will need the support of her family (and the community) as she starts to recover from her accident. Right now she’s stable and has many broken bones,” Kay-Moreno added.

Please contact the Hope RCMP at (604)869-7750 and quote file # 2019-23446 if you have any information.


 

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