EMPORIA — An emporia teenager who was struck and killed by a train early Wednesday morning. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Department identified the victim as Ernesto Ascencio, 18, who was hit by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train. The Emporia Gazette reported Ascencio may have been street racing. A sheriff’s deputy saw two cars apparently racing on an Emporia city street, going 85 miles an hour in a 30 miles-an- hour zone and pursued them. The deputy followed the cars outside of the city and caught up with them after both cars crashed in a ditch. One driver was arrested. Deputies couldn’t find the other driver but shortly after the search started, the railroad alerted the sheriff’s department that a train had struck a pedestrian about a half-mile from the crash site.
Thursday, Aug. 18, 9 a.m.
