Man Killed By Brightline Train In Boynton Beach

BOYNTON BEACH, FL — A Brightline train struck and killed a pedestrian Wednesday in Boynton Beach. The incident occurred between East Gateway Boulevard and Miner Road, according to Boynton Beach police. Police did not immediately identify the victim.

There have been at least eight 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 several of the earlier victims had drugs in their systems, according to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office.

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"The northbound train struck the male on the train tracks between East Gateway Boulevard and Miner Road at around 6:28 p.m," explained Stephanie Slater of the Boynton Beach Police Department. "No roadways are affected by the investigation."

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.

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

Photo by Paul Scicchitano