Person Killed After Crashing On Redwood City Caltrain Tracks, Getting Struck By Train

REDWOOD CITY, CA — One person is dead Tuesday morning after being struck on the Caltrain tracks in Redwood City, agency officials report. The incident happened at 1:21 a.m. and temporarily blocked both tracks. Caltrain officials say the person had crashed onto the tracks and was then struck by the train.

The deadly collision involved a maintenance train that was headed toward San Francisco, according to Caltrain Spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew. It happened at an east controlled siding area near the intersection of Buckingham and Westmoreland avenues in Redwood City,

"According to the Transit Police and CHP, the driver was traveling at the intersection of Buckingham and Westmoreland avenues in Redwood City when the driver reportedly drove through a fence and landed on its side on the Caltrain tracks," Bartholomew said. "Within minutes, the train made impact with the vehicle, dragging it several feet."

The man inside the vehicle, a Volkswagen, died at the scene. According to CHP Officer Art Montiel, the vehicle became disabled on the tracks and was struck by an oncoming train that was traveling from San Jose to San Francisco.

The collision remains under investigation and CHP officials do not yet know if drugs or alcohol were involved, Montiel said.

Both tracks were blocked for approximately four hours after the crash, according to Bartholomew. This is the fifth Caltrain fatality of 2017.

Image via Shutterstock