Name of hunter killed by train near Sherman released

From: Aberdeen American News, SD
Nov. 18, 2002

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SHERMAN - A hearing impaired hunter who died over the weekend after being struck by a train has been identified as Joe Lee Bartunek, 20, of Sioux Falls.

Bartunek and a friend, who is also hearing impaired, were hunting along the railroad tracks east of Sherman Saturday afternoon when Bartunek was struck by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe locomotive.

Bartunek's companion jumped out of the way and was not hurt.

''The people in the train were blowing their horn and hollering out the window,'' said Bruce Wieskus, chief of the Garretson Fire Department.

Wieskus said the men had parked their vehicle on a county road at the east edge of Sherman and had walked northeast along the tracks searching for pheasants.

They were on their way back to the vehicle when the accident happened just after 2:30 p.m.

The Minnehaha County sheriff's office, and emergency personnel from Garretson, Sherman and Sioux Falls responded to the accident.

© Aberdeen American News