Train Collision Marks First Pedestrian Death Since 2017

By Jorge Casuso

January 15, 2019 -- A pedestrian was killed by a Metro train in Santa Monica Tuesday morning after being dragged from the platform at the Colorado & 17th street station, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

"A pedestrian was struck by the train at 8:28 a.m. and was pronounced dead shortly after," said Ramon Montenegro, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Transit Services Bureau.

Sheriffs are investigating what caused the incident, which marks the first pedestrian fatality in Santa Monica in more than a year.

Following Department's protocol, Sheriff's homicide detectives were on the scene, Montenegro said.

"It appears there was no foul play," he said.

Sheriffs will view footage from cameras on the station platform that may have captured the accident, Montenegro said.

As of 11:30 a.m., Colorado Avenue was closed between 17th Street and Lincoln Boulevard, and train service between the station and the Downtown terminal on 4th Street was suspended.

Metro is providing "bus bridges" between the 17th Street and Downtown station while the service remain closed, he said.

Tuesday's incident marks the first pedestrian fatality in Santa Monica since 2017, when eight pedestrians were killed, including one struck by a Metro train ("Eighth Pedestrian Killed This Year in Santa Monica," November 21, 2017).

That fatal Metro accident took place on November 5, 2017, also near the station on 17th Street and Colorado Avenue ("Pedestrian Killed by Expo Train in Santa Monica," November 6, 2017).

In that collision the conductor was unaware he had struck the victim until he reached the 4th Street station and was notified by the driver of an incoming train, police said.

The accident was one of eight pedestrian fatalities in the beach city that year. The other seven took place on PCH, on busy city thoroughfares and in a parking lot.

Rattled by five pedestrian deaths in as many weeks, the City Council took action in May of that year ("Santa Monica City Council Calls for Safe Streets 'Czar,'" May 11, 2017).

It ordered faster action on a sweeping re-design of city streets to enhance pedestrian safety and carved a post for a Safe Streets "Czar."

Earlier this month, the Council took initial steps to make it safer to navigate Wilshire Boulevard ("City Council Takes Steps to Make Wilshire Boulevard Safer," January 11, 2019).

In the past decade, six people have been killed and 29 severely injured in traffic accidents on the busy thoroughfare.