Death of man hit by train at Buena Park station is investigated

Police are investigating the possible role of drugs and alcohol in the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a fast-moving passenger train at a Metrolink station in Buena Park.

When police arrived Tuesday evening at the station on Lakeknoll Road, they found the pedestrian dead on the train platform, Sgt. William Kohanek of the Buena Park Police Department said Thursday.

"It appeared that when the train came in contact with the subject, he bounced back onto the platform," Kohanek said Thursday.

A preliminary investigation revealed a bottle of alcohol in a bag attached to the pedestrian’s bike nearby. Pill bottles were also discovered at the scene, Kohanek said.

Although suicide has not been ruled out, no note was found at the scene. Kohanek said, adding that the man had not been identified.

Police determined that the pedestrian was struck by Amtrak passenger train 589, which was traveling from San Diego to Los Angeles. The train was not scheduled to stop at the Buena Park station, so was going full speed, about 60 mph, Amtrak officials said.

None of the train’s 96 passengers was hurt, police said.

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