Cops: Southold man fatally struck by LIRR train near Hicksville

A 29-year-old Southold man was fatally struck by a Long Island Rail Road train east of the Hicksville station last week, according to the MTA and Southold Town police.

Peter Gensler was initially reported missing to Southold police when his parents were unable to contact him Wednesday evening. Southold police were notified at around 1 a.m. Thursday and began a missing person investigation, according to a police report.

His mother, Maryann, reportedly had driven him to Seaford to have lunch with a friend and planned to pick him up at the Hampton Bays train station later that night, according to a report. His friend told police that he had dropped him off at the train station.

Peter was struck by an eastbound train just after 8 p.m., according to the MTA, and service was suspended in both directions between Hicksville and Ronkonkoma stations for the police investigation.

Services for Peter were scheduled Monday from 6-9 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Church in Southold.

Peter was a graduate of Southold schools and the SUNY Geneseo, according to an obituary from De Friest-Grattan Funeral Homes. He is survived by his parents, Michael and Maryann Gensler, and his siblings, Maximilian, Alexander, Michael, John and Kateri.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.