Third person killed by SMART train in less than a week identified

Authorities have identified the man struck and killed Monday by a SMART train as a 61-year-old Santa Rosa resident.

Thomas Nichols’ death was ruled a suicide after law enforcement evaluated footage from the train crash, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said. He was struck around 4:10 p.m. along Redwood Drive north of Rohnert Park’s Golf Course Drive crossing, which has seen three previous deaths since the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit began services almost two years ago.

The crash marks the third death in less than a week, and the fifth death in a month.

Nichols’ death was the ninth on the tracks since SMART began the commuter rail service in August 2017. Three of the deaths have been ruled accidents and six are suspected suicides.

Martin Krshul, 66, of Santa Rosa, was struck and killed by a SMART train on Friday near the San Miguel Road rail crossing in Santa Rosa. His death also was ruled a suicide.

Two days prior to Krshul’s death, Keith Marcum, 68, of Rohnert Park, was killed near the Scenic Avenue crossing south of Santa Rosa. On July 9, authorities ruled his death was intentional.

Marcum for three decades operated an in-home care facility for disabled children and adults in Rohnert Park. He was arrested in May on suspicion of sexually and physically abusing his patients.

You can reach Staff Writer Alexandria Bordas at 707-521-5337 or alexandria.bordas@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @CrossingBordas.