The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office says a man was found deceased on the railroad tracks early Tuesday morning near Lester after authorities had been searching for him for several hours.
According to a press release, Woodbury County officials contacted Lyon County around 12:47 a.m. on Tuesday while attempting to locate a 26-year-old male with special needs who was believed to have boarded a northbound train from Sioux City. The man’s cellphone last pinged near Lester.
Lyon County dispatchers confirmed a northbound train was in the area and requested that it stop so railroad staff and Minnesota law enforcement could search for the individual, but he was not located on the train.
Lester Fire Department personnel and Lyon County deputies then searched the area around the phone’s last known location. The sheriff’s office deployed a drone to assist, and around 3:54 a.m., deputies found the man deceased on the railroad tracks.
The man’s identity has not been released. Because the incident occurred on railroad property, the investigation has been turned over to BNSF Police.
