A shoo-in for the Darwin Awards (maybe)

[richlevy]

From here. When I originally heard about this, I thought that he was killed running from his car. Now that I read that he was in the car, it's hard to know if he was trying to kill himself too or if he was just really stupid.

I think that suicides don't count for the Darwin Awards, so I guess the answer would determine his eligibility. Personally, I think the reason he wasn't wearing a seatbelt was so that he could run for it.

LOS ANGELES – Homicide detectives are trying to determine the motive of a man who they believe attempted to kill his girlfriend when he parked their car in the path of a commuter train. Brandon J. Funches, 21, died Monday when debris from the crash struck him after he had been ejected from the car when the train hit, authorities said. The girlfriend, whose name was not released, was seriously injured, but expected to survive.


Witnesses told police Funches, of South Los Angeles, was arguing with his girlfriend before he drove the car in front of a group of other vehicles stopped at a rail crossing and parked on the tracks. Moments later a northbound Metrolink train slammed into the car, Officer Mike Lopez said. The train hit the rear passenger side of the car, spinning it around and ejecting Funches. The girlfriend, who was wearing a seat belt, was taken to a hospital in critical condition. She was later upgraded to stable condition, Lopez said.
Detectives believe that Funches placed the car on the tracks with the passenger side facing the train in hopes of killing his 23-year-old girlfriend. They were also investigating whether he intended to commit suicide, as well.