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Update: Riverhead man recovering from injuries after train incident

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Update (Monday): A 26-year-old Riverhead man is recovering from injuries sustained on Saturday when he was clipped by a westbound Long Island Rail Road train just east of Mill Road, according to MTA Police.

David Canel was intoxicated and lying next to the tracks when he was struck by the train shortly before 2 p.m., MTA Police said.

The engineer blew his horn as soon as he spotted Mr. Canell in his path, but the man later told police that he did not hear the warning, MTA Police said. Mr. Canel suffered cuts to his head, left shoulder and left elbow but was conscious when he was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital.

When detectives interviewed Mr. Canel at the hospital, he acknowledged that he had been drinking heavily and didn’t recall how he came to be lying — at least partially — on the tracks, according to the MTA Police.

There were approximately 30 passengers on the 1:11 p.m. train from Greenport that was due to arrive at Ronkonkoma at 2:35 p.m. The train was delayed 1 hour and 41 minutes.

Original Story (Saturday): A westbound Long Island Rail Road train struck a pedestrian just east of Mill Road Saturday afternoon and the victim was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital.

Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance members transported the man to the Costco parking lot for a medevac by Suffolk County Police. Riverhead police said the man’s identity was not immediately known and he appeared to suffer a head injury.

The 1:11 p.m. train from Greenport was due to arrive at Ronkonkonma at 2:35 p.m., according to the LIRR. The incident occurred about 2 p.m. The LIRR posted a message on Twitter saying the train would be 1 hour and 41 minutes late.

MTA police were on scene to investigate.

Several incidents have occurred near the same location, including in June when an intoxicated man fell asleep on the tracks and was struck by a train.

Further information was not immediately available.

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The victim is transported into a Suffolk Police helicopter. (Credit: Joe Werkmeister)