Death of Woman at Ashby BART Under Investigation

The death of a woman who was struck by a train at the Ashby BART station Monday afternoon may have been a suicide, a BART official said, while witnesses offered conflicting reports. The woman's name has not been released.

The woman was sighted on the northbound tracks at 12:47 p.m., said Jim Allison, BART's deputy chief communications officer. Allison said there was one witness who saw the woman lying on the tracks, lifting her head as the Richmond-bound train approached. 

Although the witness did not remain on scene, another BART rider recalled speaking with her. According to Kelsey Goode, the witness told BART officials that someone had jumped from the railings on the ground level down onto the tracks as a train approached.

"She said the train seemed as if it was going to stop," said Goode. "But it didn't."

Allison said that he did not know how fast the train was going when it struck the woman, but that her behavior was "consistent with suicide" since she made no effort to get up from the tracks. 

BART riders waited behind police tape after the station was evacuated and closed immediately following the incident. The small crowd offered conflicting accounts about what had happened on the tracks that afternoon, including the claim that the woman had been in a fight and had fallen or was pushed onto the tracks, and that she had intentionally jumped. 

Firemen with ladders and BART mechanics worked on the platform for about an hour before coroners arrived around 2 p.m. and removed the body. 

The Ashby BART station was re-opened at around 3 p.m., with delays to the Richmond line continuing throughout the afternoon until 6:20 p.m., according to BART. 

The coroner's office will conduct an investigation with police before BART looks into the incident and addresses any safety concerns. "It's a time-consuming process," said Allison. 

Struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts? Find resources at the Bay Area Suicide and Crisis Intervention Alliance. The 24-hour hotline for Alameda County is 1-800-309-2131.