Brightline train hits, kills man in Lake Worth Beach in 3rd fatality in 7 days in Palm Beach County

Hannah Phillips, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read

LAKE WORTH BEACH — A man died Tuesday morning after a Brightline train struck him in Lake Worth Beach, marking the third fatal Brightline collision in Palm Beach County in seven days.

The crash happened just south of 10th Avenue North shortly before 8 a.m. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said a northbound train struck the man as he walked eastbound across the railroad tracks.

This is the 20th pedestrian or motorist death involving a Brightline train in Palm Beach County since the company opened for service in January 2018.

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The rail service uses the FEC railway tracks just west of the beach to carry passengers between Miami and West Palm Beach, with plans to open a high-speed run to Orlando International Airport by early next year.

Investigators have attributed none of the previous crashes to Brightline errors. The rail line and state transportation officials are seeking federal money to anchor a $45 million project to make rail crossings safer and to deny pedestrians access to other parts of the tracks.

A northbound train arrives at the Brightline station in downtown West Palm Beach as the passenger service resumed between Miami and West Palm Beach Monday, November 8, 2021 after it was suspended in March 2020 because of the pandemic.
A northbound train arrives at the Brightline station in downtown West Palm Beach as the passenger service resumed between Miami and West Palm Beach Monday, November 8, 2021 after it was suspended in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

Rodney Bondanella, 67, was struck and killed as he walked around the crossing gates at MLK Boulevard in Boynton Beach Sunday. Another man died walking across the tracks in Delray Beach last Tuesday. Police have not released his name.

Also Tuesday, West Palm Beach officials responded to a second fatal train crash involving a pedestrian, this one involving a Tri-Rail train.

That wreck took place at 10:10 a.m. along Summit Boulevard near Dreher Park. City police said they are investigating whether the death was a suicide.

No other details were immediately available.

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pedestrian struck, killed by Brightline train in Lake Worth Beach