Fatal Train Collision Claims Life of Homeless Man in Gainesville

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A man is dead after being struck by a train in Gainesville over the weekend, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) confirms.

The victim, a homeless man from Gainesville, was walking southbound on the tracks around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, August 17, when he was struck near Dorsey Street and Industrial Boulevard, HCSO says.

Investigators say it appears the man walked deliberately into the train’s path.

HCSO Public Information Officer B.J. Williams says the investigation determined that the operator of the northbound train sounded warning equipment but could not stop in time to avoid hitting the man.

Williams says the man was a known member of the Gainesville homeless community. Investigators are attempting to contact his next of kin and are not releasing his name at this time.