Train stow-aways arrested in Gainesville Save Email Print
Posted: 6:34 PM Mar 24, 2008
 Last Updated: 11:11 PM Mar 24, 2008
 Reporter: KXII-TV Staff
Email Address: firstnews@kxii.com
23 comments
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GAINESVILLE, TX - Five people discovered in rail cars in Gainesville are under arrest. Authorities say the people were hiding on a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train on Saturday.

The people are 18 year old Rachel Oaks; 25 year old Aaron Folkertsma; 20 year old Robert Stack; 25 year old Nicholas Cromwell; and 21 year old Michael Greenleaf.

Authorities say the stow-aways are homeless people from Texas, Michigan and Florida. Police are unsure where the people were planning on going.

All five are being held in the Cooke County jail on $15,000 bond for interfering with railroad property.

Two suspects also face charges of evading arrest.
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Posted by: Michael Greenleaf Jr Location: New Orleans on Jun 25, 2008 at 10:40 AM
haha pretty ol eh..were Homless by choice we ride the rails to get places..yeah i've been caught on trains before even on BN and never done almost 3 months and charged with a felony for it..we're all out now still riding the rails and livin life..everyone in .Gainseville was cool to us when we got out thanks you guys
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Dallas on Apr 23, 2008 at 11:08 AM
So what is the status of these five today???Are they still in jail???
Posted by: Jane Location: Lancaster, TX on Mar 26, 2008 at 11:40 PM
My daughter is one of those kids caught...NO, she should not evaded arrest but, why should be getting on board of a NON-moving train w/open cabin be considered a felony?! Oh, and by the way, she is NOT HOMELESS!! Who confirmed this info ?!! The other guys she was hanging out ARE homeless and 'panhandlers' Rachael has worked until recently F/T, has her GED. She has aspirations to go to Beauty school. In her defense, I don't think that she had any idea that getting into a boxcar was a felony-I had no knowledge of this and I'm a college graduate! Also several of my adult friends confirmed they never heard of that being felony!! If my daughter is released, I would think it appropriate to have one of those monitoring devices placed, so there is accountability for her actions!! It will make her very humble but, also respect the laws that are in place! ,
Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 25, 2008 at 10:50 PM
A person cannot get on trains like these people did, BNSF have rules you have to obey by ever since they changed over and Santa Fe took over you cannot do anythimg out there now, its nothing like it used to be
Posted by: Neil Bloyd Location: Sherman on Mar 25, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Good Job Copers, You should arrest every homeless person you see and put them in lock up. That has to be cheaper than just letting them leave town on the rail. I bet the extra weight the put ont he train was tremendous.
Posted by: Big Bertha Location: Healdton on Mar 25, 2008 at 03:41 PM
That is so true Mork and Horton. These Comments make me laugh. Its great to comment on every article you see. Freedom of speach is AWESOME
Posted by: Steve Location: Ardmore on Mar 25, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Bush's illegal war killed how many? Illegal torture, snooping on Americans and a whole host of other unconstitutional attrocities are committed by the Feds daily. Illegal alians running around every where. Yeah let's throw the book at these youngsters. Teach them a real lesson, crime doesn't pay unless you are a corrupt high level politician. If they were illegal alians they would have been set free. Give me a break. Set those kids free and quit being such hypocrites.
Posted by: Mork Location: Ork on Mar 25, 2008 at 02:28 PM
Well said Horton!!! Kudos :)
Posted by: Horton Location: Whoville on Mar 25, 2008 at 01:17 PM
Seriously! That's the problem with the world today. Everyone is way to serious about everything! And you all think that you are 10 times more intelligent than the one before you. These comments totally crack me up - haha - There is not a person alive who doesn't break the law on a daily basis. Get a life and lighten up people. Have a coke and a smile and shut up already!
Posted by: TX Location: Texas on Mar 25, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Lets say the "homeless" people get injured on one of these trains. Who do you think they will sue???And if you were a paying customer of BNSF, would you want unauthorized people around your merchandise?
Posted by: Anonymous Location: denison on Mar 25, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Remember, its the time we are living in. Everything is about change and money/.What was done in the old days pretty much stays there. Kids use to ride with dads that were engineers and take pictures sitting in their seat. Forbidden now. Need to leave these people alone. The sheltors are full of people like these that were caught. If they were going for a ride, mayvbe they were looking for a better place to be. Do you blame them???
Posted by: American Location: OK on Mar 25, 2008 at 10:14 AM
What a sting. Catching homeless people on a train. Cooke county residence should not have to pay for this. Release your hostages Cooke County.No one cares. How many counties did they commute thru before they got caught? Take that number x $15,000 and it still =s 0.
Posted by: citizen Location: the real world on Mar 25, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Are you people completely ignorant of the criminal justice system? First off, they aren't paying a find, they have a bond to post. Big difference. Second - they broke the law! You may see it as a trivial offense, but it is there for a reason. You should really educate yourself before you go showing your ignorance. Of the comments below, one person thinks they should have only been arrested if they were illegals, one thinks that the cops or railroad is getting a kickback, one thinks we should reward them with food and let them go and another thinks that the criminal justice system is being too harsh. Give me a break. They will get their day in court, just like anyone else. Truth be told, they'll probably be released with credit for time already served. Unless they did any damage, they won't be required to pay anything to the railroad. Come on people, grow up and quit whining about these "poor people" who, truth be told, you would turn away from if they approached you on the street.
Posted by: old guy on Mar 25, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Shoot my dad and uncles used to hop the local frieght in francis okla ride to ada then do the same later in the day thee was no harm done leave these guys alone
Posted by: concerned Location: marietta on Mar 25, 2008 at 10:01 AM
throwing these people in Jail is stupid, as far as I can see they hurt nothing...so they were in a train car big deal....I would do everything in my power to help these 4 people...sorry the law is wrong on this one...
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Sherman on Mar 25, 2008 at 09:52 AM
You people have no idea what the rules now are for the Railroad especailly since Sante Fe has taken over the BN, so do not comment on here what you do not know anything about, there are alot of things they are not allowed to do anymore
Posted by: KAREN Location: OKLAHOMA on Mar 25, 2008 at 09:42 AM
Check them out, if they aren't terrorist - give them a bath, a free meal, a bagged lunch & send them on their way. Why waste all of the money to keep them in jail?
Posted by: Perspective on Mar 25, 2008 at 08:35 AM
Okay, how much sense does this make...Arrest homeless, jobless individuals for hopping a train and then fine them $15K for interfering w/ R/R property. Hummmm I understand the need for security for the train, are they terrorists? Maybe Not. What did they interfere with, their discovery and ultimate arrest delay the trains departure? Now the state of Texas gets to house them, feed them, cloth them and give them their time in court only probably to sentence them to serve until their fines are paid; then set them free with no job, no home and no transportation. Think they will head back to the train station....where else are they going to go? Unless by the time they get out of jail they have made connections to work, shelter and the generosity of Christians. What are there odds? Wasn't debtor's prisons done away with? Hummm
Posted by: anonymous on Mar 25, 2008 at 07:31 AM
Give 'em a hot meal and let them be on their way.
Posted by: Mork Location: Ork on Mar 25, 2008 at 07:12 AM
Man, it's impossible to even be a hobo these days, they want to throw you in jail & big fines. The brotha's and sista just looking for a ride. Oh, the good ole days when a hobo could be a hobo are forever gone!
Posted by: Sick of this Location: Mexico, Texas on Mar 24, 2008 at 10:35 PM
If they were trying to get back to Mexico, it would have been much cheaper to take a BUS. Now Cooke County and the State Of Texas will pay mucho dinero for them to have a hot meal and a place to stay. Man, I would have let them stay on the train.......!! I hate paying for this type of horrible crime!
Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 24, 2008 at 08:15 PM
come on ,what the cops and railroad wont do for a buck
Posted by: Bill Location: Healdton on Mar 24, 2008 at 07:54 PM
As long as I can remember there have been people who ride the rails. As long as no body damaged anything or they weren't illegal aliens, than I beiieve they are being dealt with to harshly. Could it be that the reason they are being treated this way is because they are homeless? God Forbid!!!
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