Blue Line Kills Man at Vernon Station

Man Killed By MTA Blue Line Train

KCBS-TV (with footage)
November 7, 2006

LOS ANGELES ― A Metropolitan Transportation Authority Blue Line train struck and killed a man on Monday night. According to police, he was trying to outrun the train.

A southbound train struck the 31-year-old man at 8:41 p.m. at the Vernon Avenue station at Long Beach Avenue, said Lt. Jason Lum of the sheriff's Transit Bureau.

Witnesses said that the man ran around the lowered arms of a crossing guard in an attempt to reach the other side before the train arrived, said Sgt. Jerry Moya of the LAPD's Central Traffic Division.

"He tried to beat the train," Moya said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

The train struck the man as it was slowing down, according to Gayle Anderson of the MTA. It was not clear how fast this particular train had been going at the time of the accident.

The Blue Line operated only on one track Monday night for two hours following the accident, Anderson said.



Police: Man Was Killed Trying To Outrun Metro Train

KNBC-TV
November 7, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- A man was killed when he tried to outrun an oncoming Metropolitan Transportation Authority Blue Line train in South Los Angeles, authorities said Tuesday.

A southbound train struck the 31-year-old man at 8:41 p.m. Monday at the Vernon Avenue station at Long Beach Avenue, said Lt. Jason Lum of the sheriff's Transit Bureau.

Witnesses told investigators that the man had run around the lowered arms of a crossing guard in an attempt to reach the other side before the train arrived, said Sgt. Jerry Moya of the LAPD's Central Traffic Division.

"He tried to beat the train," Moya said.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

The train, which travels at 50 mph, struck the man as it was in the process of slowing down, said MTA spokeswoman Gayle Anderson. It was not clear how fast this particular train had been going at the time of the accident, she said.

MTA officials shut down the track where the accident occurred for about two hours afterward, Anderson said.

City News Service contributed to this report.