Woman hit, killed by smart train in Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KTVU) - The death of a 64-year-old Santa Rosa woman who was struck by a Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train this morning is being investigated as a suicide, Santa Rosa police said.

Police responded at 7:37 a.m. to the collision reported on Hearn Avenue and the railroad tracks.

The woman, who was severely injured and unresponsive, was found on the dirt shoulder of the west side of the tracks about 100 feet south of Hearn Avenue, Sgt. Summer Black said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The train stopped south of the collision site, and none of the passengers on board were injured.

The woman was standing on the tracks at the railroad crossing on the north side of Hearn Avenue.

The train engineer sounded the train horn before the collision but did not have time to stop before striking the victim, Black said.

Witnesses said all train crossing controls appeared to be functioning correctly at the time, according to Black.

SMART personnel inspected the train, which did not return to its normal route, along with the tracks and the crossing arms before Hearn Avenue was reopened to traffic, Black said.

Foul play is not suspected and an autopsy is pending, Black said. It was the first fatality involving a SMART train. Full service began in August.

Anyone who saw the collision is asked to contact Santa Rosa police Officer Jeff Woods at (707) 543-3636.