Woman killed by freight train in Encinitas

A woman died after dashing herself against the side of a passing freight train in Encinitas on the night of Feb. 22, a sheriff’s official said.

Her friends found her lying near the tracks, severely injured, and called 911 about 10:30 p.m. She died at a hospital, sheriff’s Sgt. Jason King said.

He said the case appears to be a suicide, but that will be determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office.

The woman, believed to be in her late 20s or early 30s, was with friends near Coast Highway 101 and Diana Street, King said.

As a southbound BNSF Railway freight train went past at around 50 mph, the woman ran straight toward it. She hit the side of a car and was knocked away, King said.

The engineer didn’t know the train had hit anyone, but was notified by the North County Transit District, which operates the tracks. The train stopped before reaching Solana Beach, King said.

He said the investigation into the death held up the train for little more than an hour. No passenger trains were disrupted.

The Sheriff’s Department’s transit enforcement unit investigates accidents involving trains.

– Pauline Repard is a writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune