MICHAEL CELLA
Conductor Michael Batista Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Fla., was killed when Amtrak Train 91 collided with a stationary CSX freight train east of Columbia, S.C. Feb. 4, 2018. Cella was a member of Local 30 in Jacksonville, Fla., since 2008.
Brother Cella is survived by his wife, Christine; daughter, Elena; son, Logan; father, John Cella; mother, Donna Hazel; step-father, Gary Hazel; brother, John Paul Cella; step-brother, Gary Hazel Jr.; and grandmother, Ma Rose.
PETER POCHING
Engineer Peter PoChing, 52, of Lincoln, Calif., died of cardiac arrest March 5 while in service at Union Pacific’s Roseville Yard in Roseville, Calif. PoChing was a member of Local 492 in Sacramento, Calif., since 2009.
Peter leaves behind two daughters, Karina and Kaylene, and Brenda, his wife of 25 years, as well as numerous other family and friends.
“There will not be a moment this easy-going, guitar-loving, compassionate Silat guru will not be missed,” his family wrote.
ROBERT “ROB” J. HEMLING
Robert “Rob” J. Hemling, 39, of Randolph, Wis., and a member of Local 590 (Portage, Wis.), died in a train accident March 27 in Sparta, Wis.
Brother Hemling, a conductor for Canadian Pacific, was working at Cedar Creek Lumber when he was killed. Reports did not provide details about the circumstances of the accident.
He began working for the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad before joining Local 590 in 2003.
He is survived by his wife, Megan; his two daughters, Madelynn and Savannah; parents, Randy and Kathy Hemling; other relatives and friends.
JULIO ARIGUZNAGA-ANDERSON
Julio Abraham Ariguznaga-Anderson, 33, a member of SMART Transportation Division Local 965 in Dallas, Texas, died Aug. 13 in an accident near the Dallas, Garland & Northeastern (DGN) rail yard in South Dallas.
Ariguznaga-Anderson, of Garland, Texas, joined SMART TD in April and was a conductor for DGN, a short line owned by Genesee & Wyoming.
He served our country as a soldier in the U.S. Army, serving three tours of duty and receiving a Purple Heart.
Survivors include his mother; maternal grandmother; sisters; brother and 10 nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly.
BENJAMIN GEORGE “BENJI” BROZOVICH
Benjamin George “Benji” Brozovich, 39, a member of SMART Transportation Division Local 446 in Cheyenne, Wyo., died Oct. 4 when his Union Pacific freight train collided into the back of another stationary UP train west of Cheyenne.
Brozovich, of Lusk, Wyo., worked for Union Pacific for 20 years and enjoyed motocross racing, golf and was a fan of the Denver Broncos.
“He leaves behind a family who will forever miss the place he had in their lives, but live with hope that one day they will be reunited with him once again,” his family said in his obituary.
He is survived by his parents, Art Brozovich of Lusk and his mother Madeleine (Jack) Jacobs of Torrington; brother Tyler Brozovich of Lusk; and the daughter he adored, Sierra Brozovich of Lusk.
JASON V. MARTINEZ
Jason V. Martinez, 40, a member of SMART Transportation Division Local 446 in Cheyenne, Wyo., died Oct. 4 when his Union Pacific freight train collided into the back of another stationary UP train west of Cheyenne, his hometown.
Martinez was a veteran and enjoyed playing pool and softball, Las Vegas and gambling and was a diehard Denver Broncos fan.
He is survived by his wife, Sheila Martinez; children, Izabella Teniente, Aubriana and Alexis Martinez; parents, Vincent and Rose Martinez; sisters; in-laws and godchildren.
JEFFERY KEITH HAGUE
Jeffrey Keith Hague, 34, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, as the result of a railroad accident in Oakley, Kan.
Hague was a conductor for Union Pacific and a member of Local 495 (Salina, Kan.) since 2012.
He is survived by his parents, Dale and Kelly Hague; his significant other, Sabrina Jones, and her children, Tyler and Tydus Jones; a brother, a sister, as well as numerous other relatives, cousins and friends.