Local police were disappointed Thursday to learn that a Riverside man whose car slammed into the Berwyn train station two years ago, killing the attendant, was sentenced to probation, not jail time.

Stephen J. Pocina, 46, of Riverside, was sentenced Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court in Maywood to three years of probation and 250 hours of community service after pleading guilty to charges of reckless homicide and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Pocina’s sport-utility vehicle missed a turn March 3, 2006, drove up an incline and slammed into the Metra station, at 7135 Windsor Ave. near Harlem Avenue.

Riverside resident Kathleen Talmage, 58, who was working as the attendant when the crash occurred at 5:45 a.m., died from her injuries.

"Personally, we were really looking for jail time because it was such a horrific crash,” Berwyn Police Chief William Kushner said.

Talmage died less than an hour after the crash. She was set to retire from Burlington Northern Santa Fe in 2007 after more than 40 years working for the railroad.

“No matter what Mr. Pocina had been sentenced to ... even if it was a capital offense, it would not have brought the victim back,” Kushner said. “He was charged appropriately based on the totality of the evidence. It’s a roll of the dice what (sentence) you end up with.”

A message was left for Pocina’s attorney, Edmond Wanderling, but he was unavailable for comment before press time. Attempts to reach Pocina for comment were unsuccessful.
Talmage’s family could not be reached for comment.

Witnesses in the case said Pocina fled after the crash, never calling police as Talmage lay inside with head injuries.

Left behind at the scene was his own blood, inside the SUV. Kushner said new technology enabled them to utilize the vehicle’s black box data to assist in their investigation.

Kushner said his officers displayed tremendous police work, and were relentless trying to locate Pocina.

After Pocina fled, he was located about three weeks later at a relative’s condo in Oak Brook. He was arrested March 23.

“We brought a very detailed case to the state’s attorney,” Kushner said.

Based on the charges, Pocina could have been sentenced to up to 14 years in prison.

A message was left for Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, but he was unavailable for comment before press time.

While he had hoped Pocina would be sentenced to some jail time, Kushner said at least the case’s conclusion brings some measure of closure to Talmage’s family.

“It’s kind of a mixed victory,” he said. “Yes, he was convicted.”