Near-death on Amtrak

Frequent Old Orchard Beach tourist suffered near-death from stalled vehicle on Amtrak this morning as local teen and police captain worked against the clock to save the unconscious life.

The 80-year-old Quebec City resident, Francois Truffaut, was found by local teen, James Laboke, locked and unconscious in his vehicle. On his four mile walk to work, Laboke witnessed Truffaut’s 1987, pink Cadillac Seville stalled at the railroad crossing.

After pounding on window of the running vehicle, there was no sign of response from Truffaunt. 17-year-old Laboke, without cell phone, then ran 100 yards and arrived at 6 a.m. to town police force on Pier Street to alert officials of the emergency.

“I never thought about it. I just knew I couldn’t let that man get crushed by that train,” said Laboke after the incident.

Hearing the report over the radio, captain of police force, Janet Paradiso, was able to arrive at the tracks in her cruiser at 6:05 a.m. The whistle of the Amtrak, due to arrive at the crossing at 6:10 a.m., could be heard echoing merely minutes away from the scene.

“I knew there was no time. I had to do something,” said Paradiso, sharing the same sense of urgency as Laboke.

Truffaut remained unresponsive in his Cadillac Seville, as Paradiso used her vehicle to push the car off the tracks with just thirty seconds to spare until the arrival of the train.

“It was that close,” says Brian Paul, chief of police in Old Orchard Beach.

After initially trying to rescue the man himself, Laboke’s determination and bravery turns the local resident into local hero. Arriving on time that morning to his work at the Eezy Breezy Resaurant on East Grand Street, owner Charles Champaign comments on the bravery of his employee.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all. That young man is one of my most responsible employees. He’s just a great kid.

Truffaut is now recovery from possible insulin shock at Southern Maine Medical Center.

“I don’t remember a thing,” responded Truffaut from his hospital bed.