On Monday, May 25th, the Orange County Coroner’s Office disclosed they identified the young man whose life ended in a tragic accident in Santa Ana, California. They revealed his name as 26-year-old Theodore Contreras in the updated accident report.
The coroner listed the deceased as a homeless man; he died from the extensive wounds sustained in the train-pedestrian crash. Investigators with the Santa Ana Police Department said that the tragic accident happened at approximately 3:50 p.m. on Sunday, May 24th.
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The Metrolink Spokesman Paul Gonzales said in a press briefing that the collision took place precisely at the crossing between Lyons Street and Orange and Tustin. A southbound Amtrak train 580 struck Contreras for reasons the authorities have not confirmed.
The accident led to the closure of the crossing and the delay of the train. The southbound passengers were placed in a bus while those heading north had to remain at the scene until the investigators concluded their preliminary inquiry and cleared the track.
Metrolink, as a show of good faith, offered the northbound passengers a $50 rider voucher, which they can redeem on their website. The SAPD Spokesperson Anthony Bertagna said that so far, their investigation points to Contreras’ death as a suicide.
The accident report showed that the investigation is ongoing, and the police would release additional details once they have more information. The authorities used the victim’s tragic demise to reiterate the importance of pedestrians staying away from train tracks, and using only designated crossings with functional signs.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.