![]() The train operator sounded his horn and hit the brakes but was unable to stop in time. In that accident, Ernie Soto, 48, was crossing 400 South at about 850 East when he was struck by an oncoming train. The second, in November 2002, also occurred near the TRAX platform at 400 South and 900 East. The first was in 2000, when Delores Betenes was hit while running to catch a train near 188 West and 3900 South. Saturday's accident was the third fatality involving a pedestrian. Of the deaths, four are believed to have been suicides, Packer said. ![]() Seven people have died in accidents involving TRAX trains since the light-rail line began service in December 1999. Saturday's accident was the fourth since Wednesday but the only one to result in a fatality. "I look out there all the time and see people running through traffic to catch trains, and you hear (conductors) pounding on the horn," said Morrow, who was emptying trash Saturday when a woman ran into the station and asked him to dial 911 for help. "This is an unfortunate situation and a strong reminder to obey all of the safety rules, to use the crosswalks and to board the platforms safely," Packer said.īut pedestrians frequently ignore their safety when dashing to catch trains, said Jonathan Morrow, a clerk at the Phillips 66 gas station, 873 E. The woman, whose name was not released pending notification of family, was pronounced dead at the scene, Linton said. Frank, 17, said the victim was lying in the crosswalk on the west side of the 900 East intersection and appeared to have suffered serious injuries to her legs. The train's conductor didn't see the woman and was unaware of the accident until arriving at the University station, Packer said.ĭriving east on 400 South, Jessica Frank said she saw an umbrella lying handle-up in the road before she saw the accident. The woman apparently was in the street about mid-block and at about the middle of the length of the train, pounding on the doors just before the 5:26 p.m. "The train was either moving or had started to move - right now, we're not really sure." "It appears (she) was a little bit ahead of her friends and they were yelling at her, 'Hey, you can't get on (the train) from that side,' " Salt Lake Police Lt. The train was at the 400 South and 900 East station, bound for the University of Utah, where the victim and several friends planned to attend the U. The 38-year-old woman apparently was trying to board the train from the street side - not from the platform - and either slipped or was hit and dragged under the train, UTA spokeswoman Andrea Packer said. Never cross between train cars or across the trackway in an undesignated area - always use designated, safe crossings.A woman was killed Saturday in the fourth accident involving a UTA TRAX train in as many days. ![]() Hold your young children’s hands when on the platform and while boarding and exiting the train.Stand behind the yellow line when trains are approaching the station platform.Don’t bike or skate board on a station platform.Take off headphones and don’t text or talk on the phone when crossing tracks. Always watch for trains-look both ways before crossing the tracks.Never cross the tracks while the red lights are flashing or the crossing arms are moving.UTA guidance for pedestrians, bicyclists near TRAX lines: The TRAX blue line was temporarily shut down for about three hours Monday morning between the Midvale Center station and the historic Sandy station as authorities investigated. ![]() “If the warning lights are on and the gates are down,” he urged others, “please don’t try to go around or under them.” They didn’t see the train coming in the opposite direction.” “The bicyclist did not see that there were trains going in opposite directions at almost exactly the same time.”Īfter the northbound train passed the crossing, Arky said, the cyclist “lifted up the gate just enough to get the bicycle under it. “The gates were down, the lights were flashing, the bells were ringing,” Arky said. ![]()
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