Trial set for woman arrested for writing memorial on railroad gate

A 20-year-old Lombard woman who was arrested in August for writing a memorial on a Villa Park railroad gate to a friend killed by a train will stand trial in December.

Angela Keslinke appeared Wednesday in DuPage County Court in front of Judge Ronald Sutter and was scheduled for a Tuesday, Dec. 18, bench trial.

Villa Park police arrested Keslinke at about 11 p.m. Aug. 23 after she was caught writing on the railroad gate at Ardmore Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. She was writing a memorial to her friend Michael Dunscomb, 22, of Villa Park, who was struck and killed by a freight train at the same crossing five days earlier.

Keslinke was charged with malicious damage to railroad property, a misdemeanor.

A crowd of mourners gathered near the tracks after attending Dunscomb's wake at an Addison funeral home. Keslinke was the only person arrested.

Keslinke's mother, Betteann Keslinke, said the family's attorney instructed them not to discuss the case.

"She was arrested for damaging property," said Villa Park police Lt. Mike Lay. "If we catch someone doing that, we're going to arrest them whether it's village property, railroad property or personal property."

Union Pacific spokesman James Barnes said while the railroad understands people's desire to memorialize their loved ones who are killed by trains, it also must protect its property and the safety of people at railroad crossings.

"Those types of incidents are considered vandalizing railroad property and that's against the law," Barnes said. "In addition, the person is putting themself in danger by being so close to the railroad."