Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: Emma Wood State Beach, Rincon area, Ventura, CA
Date & Time: April 28, 2009, at approximately 5:00 P.M.
Unit Responsible: West County Patrol, Headquarters Station

Victim, Address, Age:
Female, Simi Valley, 17

On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at approximately 5:00 P.M. deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, along with other emergency response personnel, responded to a 9-1-1 call of a pedestrian struck by a train in the area of Pacific Coast Highway and Emma Wood State Beach. Upon arrival, emergency personnel found that a northbound Amtrak passenger train had struck a 17 year-old female.

It appears that the victim and two male companions were visiting the beach and began walking northbound on the railroad tracks and did not see, nor hear the train approaching from behind. The preliminary investigation showed the train was rounding a wide turn and sounded the horn to alert the individuals as soon as the engineer saw them on the tracks. The female victim was not able to move to safety and was struck by the train. The victim sustained fatal injuries as a result of the accident.

This incident is being investigated as an accident. Sheriff’s Department investigators and personnel from the railroad company are reviewing the facts to determine what may have led to the accident.