Woman struck, killed by SMART train in Novato

A woman crawling on the Sonoma-?Marin Area Rail Transit tracks near Novato was struck by a commuter train and killed Monday morning, the second apparent suicide on the rail system this year.

The 72-year-old woman, whose name was withheld, died shortly after the crash, which was reported at 5:48 a.m., Novato police said.

She was struck by a southbound train approaching its next stop at the Hamilton Station in Novato with two dozen passengers aboard at the time, Novato police Capt. Jim Correa said.

The woman did not leave the tracks despite multiple attempts by a SMART conductor to get her attention by sounding the train’s horn, leading investigators to initially treat the incident as a suicide.

While homeless camps exist in the area, Correa said police have no reason to believe the woman was homeless.

It is not clear if the woman was unable to walk or if she was crawling on the tracks in an attempt to conceal herself, Correa said.

Police officers helped provide CPR and first aid treatment already being performed by SMART staff, but the woman died at the scene from her injuries.

The police department partnered with the Marin County Sheriff’s Office and the county coroner to investigate the incident, and is working to inform the woman’s family. SMART appeared to follow all safety measures before the collision, police said, and the transit agency is cooperating with the investigation.

“We have no indications to believe there was any breach of protocols or procedures, and it’s a spot on the track where the train is going slower because it’s near several crossings and is approaching the next station,” said Correa.

The incident disrupted the rail system’s morning schedule.

While the tracks were closed, SMART used buses to shuttle passengers southbound to the Marin Civic Center and San Rafael, and northbound to the Novato San Marin Station.

Trains were delayed about 15 minutes, SMART reported by 8:40 a.m., with all tracks reopened about 45 minutes later.

On-time service was fully restored a little after 11:30 a.m.

“Our continued challenge is public safety,” SMART General Manager Farhad Mansourian said Monday. “Today’s event was an example of that - we have not had trains here in 50 or 60 years, with this frequency and in our area. There is nothing more important for us than public safety.”

The incident marks the second time a pedestrian has been struck and killed by a SMART train since the transit system launched service a year ago.

In January, a 64-year-old woman stepped in front of a southbound train in south Santa Rosa at the Hearn Avenue crossing. Santa Rosa police later ruled the woman’s death a suicide.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin Fixler at 707-521-5336 or at kevin.fixler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @kfixler.