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(AP Photo/Longmont Times-Call, Richard M. Hackett)LONGMONT, Colo. — A Sandy teenager was critically injured in a horrific accident Monday in Longmont, Colo. She and some friends were trying to hop aboard a moving train when she slipped, and the train severed both of her legs.
According to Longmont police, Anna Beninati was trying to get to Fort Collins, where she attends Colorado State University. As she attempted to jump onto the train, she fell underneath it.
Police say Beninati was traveling with three male friends. One of the men, a 21-year-old from the Denver area, successfully boarded the train. A 17-year-old male from Fort Collins, suffered abrasions on his left arm after boarding the train and jumping off again.
Longmont Police Detective Commander Jeff Satur identified the third man as Charles Hamilton, a 25-year-old from Gillette, Wyo. Police believe Hamilton pulled Beninati away from the train after she was injured.
Beninati was also assisted at the scene of the accident by a passing nurse. The nurse, who has not been identified, reported the accident to 911.
"I'm on 3rd Avenue at the railroad tracks. Somebody just tried to jump on the train and severed her legs," the nurse can be heard telling dispatchers on a recording of the 911 call.
"She's alert. She's talking. Now, she's crying," the nurse continued. "Don't move. Don't move."
The nurse remained with the girl until paramedics arrived.
"They were able to apply pressure and get the bleeding controlled as best as possible," said Longmont Police Detective Commander Jeff Satur.
Satur credits the nurse and an EMT who was also there with saving Beninati's life. "You cut your femoral artery, you can bleed out very quickly," he said.
Beninati was taken to a hospital in Longmont then airlifted to Denver Health Medical Center. In a news release from the hospital Tuesday afternoon, Beninati's parents made the following statement:
"We are grateful to the outpouring of support for our daughter following this horrific accident yesterday. From the first responders and transport teams, to the hospitals both in Longmont and Denver, we are thankful to everyone who came to her rescue. We are especially grateful to several bystanders who provided aid for our daughter at the scene. Our family is focused on our daughter and her recovery and we ask that you respect our privacy during this very difficult time."
Meanwhile, news of the accident made its way back to Beninati's hometown of Sandy Tuesday — and to family friends Gary and Marian Jones. They describe her as a "beautiful and intelligent and very confident young lady."
The family friends say Beninati is a music major, on scholarship, and already done with her general classes. Her father is a physician at LDS Hospital.
The Joneses say they're confident Anna and her family will get through this.
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Written by the ksl.com news team's Stephanie Grimes, with contributions from Paul Nelson and Jennifer Stagg.
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