A 12-year-old boy was struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The eighth-grader, identified as Caesar Muloki of Hackensack, was near Railroad Avenue and Clay Street in Hackensack shortly after 3 p.m. when the train struck him, officials said.
Police were reportedly questioning one witness at the scene.
Witnesses said the boy was walking along Railroad Avenue and wearing headphones -- and an iPod was recovered at the scene.
As the train approached the boy from behind, the engineer was blowing his horn repeatedly but Muloki apparently did not hear. Then, when a car coming along Railroad Avenue swerved into the boy's path, he jumped closer to the tracks and was struck, officials said.
The train engineer used the emergency brakes but did not have enough time to stop, according to NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel.
Police said the driver of the car remained on the scene and gave a statement.
The Pascack Valley Line was temporarily suspended between Essex Street and Spring Valley due to the investigation, officials said, but it was on schedule again after about two hours.
Due to the disruption, NJ Transit and Red & Tan buses were honoring rail tickets and passes, officials said.
