Community Corner

Man Struck At Clarendon Station Tuesday, Causing Travel Headaches For Vienna Commuters

Incident appears to be intentional, Metro spokesman says; man struck is in serious condition

Kimberly Maher's husband left work at 12th and I street around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

But what is normally a straight commute down the orange line to Vienna turned into a multiple-hour journey that took him to Arlington Cemetery and Pentagon stations before he found a cab, she said on Twitter, bringing him home shortly before 8 p.m. when his young children were on their way to bed.

It's an experience he shared with hundreds of other commuters after a McLean man causing delays, closed stations and several more medical calls after stranded passengers were forced to climb up broken Rosslyn Station escalators.

Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The call about the train striking the man came in around 5 p.m., according to Arlington Police officials.

"It was just a shuddering halt as we approached Clarendon -- a 'thud,' " said one Clarendon man who asked not to be identified.

Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Arlington Fire and Rescue personnel worked to free the man from the tracks. The man was conscious while he was being rescued, a Metro spokesperson told Clarendon Patch.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the man was a 39-year-old resident of McLean. He is in serious condition and suffered head injuries and multiple broken bones, Stessel said in an email.

The injuries are considered potentially life threatening, Stessel said.

While he was being rescued, Orange Line service was suspended, and some area stations were shut down. Passengers began filing out of the Clarendon Metro shortly before 6:30 p.m., many looking for a way to get home.

WMATA began shuttle service between stations, but many passengers were stuck on the platform. EMTS responded to Rosslyn, where several passengers complained of fatigue-related injuries after having to climb up broken escalator stairs.

Twitter user chicdonecheap left downtown DC at 5:15 p.m. and was still on her way home to Vienna just before 8 p.m. She was a half hour away under normal circumstances, but was unsure how long the trip would take as the system worked to restore normal service.

"I'm still working on it!" she tweeted.

For updates to this story throughout the day, read t


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