On 11-25-10, at approximately 2:09 p.m., SPD 911 was contacted by BNSF Railway Police that a S/B AMTRAK train had struck a person walking on the southbound tracks near NW Neptune Pl and NW Blue Ridge Dr.
Traffic Collision Investigators responded to investigate the incident. Preliminary investigation revealed that at approximately 2:07 p.m., the Amtrak Train #7, which is the Chicago to Seattle, Empire Builder was on the southbound tracks near the Blue Ridge Park, when they saw a person walking southbound on the tracks.
The train Engineer immediately started the emergency stop procedures, which includes sounding the air horn repeatedly. The train was traveling approximately 38 to 40 MPH. The person continued to walk southbound down the center of the tracks and did not react to the air horn.
As the train got closer to the person, the Engineer could see the person was wearing head phones. The train struck the person approximately 75 yards south of the west side entrance to the Blue Ridge park, which is located at NW Neptune Pl/NW Blue Ridge Dr & Triton Dr NW.
The King County Medical Examiner responded to gather additional evidence and recover the body of the 41- year- old female.