Train hits, kills man on tracks in South Thurston County

A man walking on railroad tracks near Tenino was hit and killed by a freight train late Thursday night.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, South Thurston Fire and Medic 5 were dispatched at around 10:52 p.m. Thursday to the call about a pedestrian who was struck by a train near the intersection of 143rd Avenue Southeast and McDuff Road Southeast, deputies said. The man was believed to be in his mid-30s.

Deputies said the conductor of the BNSF freight train saw the man walking on the tracks and sounded the train’s horn, but was unable to slow down in time, killing the man.

BNSF police will continue the investigation, deputies said.

This story was originally published October 22, 2021 at 7:53 AM.

Ty Vinson

The Olympian

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Ty Vinson covers the City of Olympia and keeps tabs on Tumwater and other communities in Thurston County. He joined The Olympian in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at the Northwest Indiana Times, the Oregonian and the Arizona Republic as a Pulliam Fellow. Support my work with a digital subscription