Nathan Schrock is expected to enter plea Nov. 3
San Martin – A man accused of reckless driving resulting in the death of his girlfriend was arraigned in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Nathan Schrock, 20, made his first appearance Tuesday and learned he was be charged with manslaughter.
Deputy District Attorney Mark Hood said the delay before the plea hearing is due to Schrock’s defense attorney’s involvement in another case.
Schrock is accused of driving around crossing guards at the railroad tracks at San Pedro and Railroad avenues and into the path of a southbound commuter train Jan. 20. The train plowed into the pickup truck, splitting the truck in half, sending the bed of the truck 150 feet down the rails and hurling Schrock’s girlfriend, Jackie Gamboa, 18, from the passenger side of the cab.
Gamboa was pronounced dead at the scene.
Schrock suffered serious injuries in the crash, including trauma to the head and a gash on his thigh. He was flown to Regional Medical Center in San Jose, where he recovered consciousness the next day. He spent some time in the hospital under treatment for his injuries.
According to police reports and witness accounts, Schrock was driving southbound on Railroad Avenue about 7pm; when he reached Tennant Avenue, he saw the railroad arms down for an oncoming northbound freight train.
Apparently deciding to cross the tracks at another intersection, Schrock and the driver of a truck in front of him both made U-turns and headed north on Railroad. Police believe he was trying to beat the train to the next intersection north of Tennant.
But when Schrock and the other driver arrived at San Pedro Avenue, the gates were already down, and the driver of the other truck was in front of Schrock.
Witnesses said Schrock seemed impatient and drove around the pickup, then around the railroad arms. The driver of the pickup in front of Schrock told police he yelled for Schrock to stop, seeing a second train – a commuter train – southbound on parallel tracks, coming toward the intersection.
Schrock may not have been aware there was a second set of tracks at the intersection, witnesses said.
He is scheduled to enter a plea during his next court appearance Nov. 3 at 9am.
