Woman apparently distracted by cellphone killed by Amtrak train in Ventura

VENTURA, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman apparently walking and looking down at her cellphone was fatally struck by an Amtrak train in Ventura on Saturday.

Responding officers said they found the victim, identified only as a 28-year-old woman from Ventura, underneath the train. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the train conductor, the southbound train was traveling at about 40 mph around 5:15 p.m. as it approached the Amtrak station near the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Harbor Boulevard, when the victim was seen walking on the tracks.

The conductor began sounding the warning horn, but the victim appeared to be looking down at a cellphone and did not make any attempts to get off of the tracks, police said. The conductor said he tried to make an emergency stop, but could not get the train to stop in time.

The train was delayed at the scene for about two hours while the investigation was conducted.

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