Brightline train, SUV collide in south Melbourne, 1 dead, 3 injured
A Brightline passenger train collided with a sport utility vehicle in Melbourne on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring three others, police reported. It was the third fatal crash in Brevard to involve the privately owned passenger train — which moves through the city at about 80 mph at least 30 times a day without any stops— in three months.
All of the incidents took place in Melbourne.
The collision happened about 2 p.m. behind the American Legion building at Jackson Street near U.S. 1. Melbourne police roped off much of the area and were conducting an investigation. The partially crushed SUV was seen resting on its side just north of Jackson Street as police, forensic agents and firefighters arrived. The body of the unidentified man was covered by police within moments of arrival.
The train remained at the site, said Sgt. Ben Slover, spokesperson for the Melbourne Police Department. The injured people were believed to be in the crossover-style SUV at the time, Slover said. Jackson Street remained closed to traffic, police reported.
The three survivors, who were all transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center, were in stable condition. Police were looking into a number of factors, including whether the SUV was travelling past the railroad arms when the crash happened or if there was a malfunction involving any of the train's safety features.
"It's still under investigation right now," Slover added.
The previous crash took place Christmas Eve along the railroad tracks that cut across Aurora Road, leaving a 36-year-old pedestrian dead. That site was not too far from the location where a 60-year-old woman was struck and killed by a Brightline train on Oct. 19, police reported.
A spokesperson for the rail line did not immediately return calls from FLORIDA TODAY. Melbourne police and other agencies have warned residents and motorists about the frequency and speed of the newly-launched passenger line that connects Miami to Orlando. Signs have been posted about the train and the impact on traffic.
The three crashes have raised concerns from Melbourne officials. Brightline utilizes tracks that run through a densely populated portion of the city, including the downtown area. Mayor Paul Alfrey pointed out that a number of safety features have been put into place by Brightline and that the city has worked to inform the public about the train, its speed and schedule.
“There are safety precautions but we’re seeing in some cases where people aren’t following them. I’m not sure of the details of this case but in general, no one wins against the train,” said Alfrey, who said he would be conferring with the city manager about the incidents.
“We need people to abide by the safety features. The train is here regardless of whether any of us like it or not.”
TCPalm reported Oct. 16 that at least 364 people have been killed by trains belonging to 13 different companies in Florida since 2017.
Brightline trains killed more people per mile in the U.S. last year and more people in Florida since its founding in 2017 than any other railroad company, a TCPalm analysis of federal data found. Since October, at least 104 people have been killed in collisions with Brightline trains nationwide, reports show.
J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 1 dead, 3 hurt in Brightline crash along train tracks in south Melbourne
