Amtrak Engineer Has No Memory Of Crash: Lawyer

The engineer involved in Tuesday night's Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia has no memory of the crash, his lawyer said, nor does he have any explanation for it.

Engineer Brandon Bostian's lawyer said his client would not hesitate to talk to the National Transportation Safety Board. According to NTSB member Robert Sumwalt, Bostian went through a very “traumatic event.” He said the board wanted to give him time to settle down before subjecting him to questioning.

Bostian’s lawyer said his client was cooperating with the investigation. ABC News reported that the 32-year-old resident of Queens, New York, voluntarily turned over his cell phone and a blood sample to authorities.

The lawyer said that Bostian felt “very distraught” to know that at least eight people died in the crash. However, he said the engineer has no specific memories of what happened. He recalls only that he found his cell phone and bag before calling 911.

The engineer required 14 staples for a head wound and concussion. Both his legs got injured in the crash. According to his lawyer, Bostian had no major health issues before the crash. The lawyer said that the engineer was not under medication.

Officials said that Bostian refused to give a formal statement to the Philadelphia Police Department. He requested for a lawyer who started working for him. During the initial stages of the investigation, the engineer did speak to investigators. However, the type of discussion between Bostian and the investigators has not been released yet.

His lawyer said that Bostian would be available for any further questions. The lawyer said that his client had spent at least five hours with police.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au