Man's Dead Body Found Along Train Tracks In Lake Forest

LAKE FOREST, IL — A death investigation in underway after crews on a Metra train spotted a body on the tracks north of the east Lake Forest station Wednesday. Authorities suspect the person may have been hit by an earlier train.

At 8:42 a.m., the crew of train No. 315 reported seeing someone on the tracks between the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff stations on the Union Pacific-North line, according to a Metra spokesperson.

The train was halted. Police from several departments and the coroner were called to the scene. Officers launched an unmanned aerial vehicle to survey the scene.

Police said the body was found lying alongside the tracks beside the intersection of Western Avenue and Franklin Place.

It appeared the person had been struck by a train, Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper said, but it was too early to determine when he died.

According to Lake Forest Police Chief Karl Walldorf, the victim appeared to be a white man in his 40s who was apparently fatally struck by a previous train.

Investigators were continuing to interview witnesses Wednesday afternoon, he said.

As of Wednesday evening, identity of the dead man has not been released.