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SMART Train Strikes, Kills Pedestrian in Santa Rosa: FD

A Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train struck and killed a pedestrian in Santa Rosa Wednesday morning, the new transit system’s first deadly crash.

The pedestrian, a 64-year-old woman, was hit by a southbound train just before 7:40 a.m. near Hearn Avenue in the North Bay city, according to SMART Train.

Police say a woman was standing on the tracks as the train approached and did not move though the conductor blasted the horn. There was not enough time to stop, the woman died at the scene.

Trains were being delayed roughly 40 minutes immediately following the incident, according to SMART Train but the transit service is back.

"It is the first fatality," said police Sgt. Summer Black. "Getting service back full sped."

SMART Train later announced that trains were still running between the Sonoma County Airport station and Santa Rosa Downtown station as well as between Cotati and San Rafael, but a bus bridge was set up to serve those traveling between the system's other stations.

Commuters were advised to expect delays.

The area is a so-called "quiet zone" meaning conductors don’t usually sound the horn. However, in this case, the engineer did.

Santa Rosa police say the incident is being investigated as a possible suicide.

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