Distracted man walked into train's path, authorities say


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SALT LAKE CITY — A man was seriously injured but alert after he was pinned underneath a northbound light-rail train near Smith's Ballpark.

Crews pried the victim from the rails after the accident about 5:30 p.m. Monday, said Utah Transit Authority spokesman Carl Arky. The man, whose name was not released, was taken to a nearby hospital in serious but stable condition.

Witnesses reported that he walked into the train's path while wearing headphones, Arky said.

Mitchell Halsey said the train sounded its horn five times. He said he saw the man's body roll seven or eight times and feared the victim had died.

Just before the accident, the man turned and looked at a southbound train pulling away from the station, said UTA Police Lt. Paul Nielson.

"I'm not sure he was aware that there was a northbound train coming," Nielson said.

The trains "can't stop on a dime. They can't swerve out of the way," Nielson said. "Pay attention. The earbuds and music can wait a minute."

The stop at roughly 1300 South and 200 West was temporarily shut down and service delayed Monday evening.


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Andrew Adams
Andrew Adams is a reporter for KSL-TV whose work can also be heard on KSL NewsRadio and read on KSL.com and in the Deseret News.

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