Brightline Train Strikes And Kills Pedestrian

BOYNTON BEACH, FL — A Brightline train struck and killed a pedestrian Friday in Boynton Beach. The incident occurred just south of Woolbright Road, according to Boynton Beach police. Police did not immediately identify the victim.

There have already been at least seven deaths since the service began its testing on Florida East Coast Railway tracks late last year From West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale. At least half of the victims had drugs in their systems, according to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office.

In May, Brightline expanded its service to include Miami as the third stop of the system along with West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. But while the expansion of the only privately funded inter-city train service in the United States clearly ushers in a new era of transportation for car-dependent South Florida, it also brings with it new challenges from a safety perspective.

See also Brightline Rolls Into Miami Amid Safety Concerns

Friday's incident occurred at 11:19 a.m. in the 1600 block of South Federal Highway.

"The male victim is dead," explained Stephanie Slater of the Boynton Beach Police Department. "No roadways are affected by the investigation."

Slater said that no passengers on the train were injured.

"Detectives are working to identify the victim and notify next of kin," she added.

Photo by Paul Scicchitano