The North Carolina Department of Transportation said that at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday a pedestrian was struck and killed by an eastbound train on the train tracks that border the north side of NC State’s campus.
The pedestrian was 51-year-old Maurice Sutton of Raleigh. Sutton was not affiliated with NC State, according to Raleigh Police Department.
Sutton was struck on a section of track that is behind 621 Motor Pool St., near Sullivan Hall.
Hannah Davis, the communications officer for multi-modal transportation at NCDOT, confirmed that Piedmont Train 74, a passenger train coming into Raleigh from Charlotte, struck a pedestrian who was trespassing on the track near Sullivan Hall. She said the train engineer deployed the emergency break, but she did not know if that happened before impact. That train normally runs at 77 mph.
Raleigh Police Department is leading the investigation and DOT had employees on the scene Tuesday afternoon.
During the investigation out on the tracks, the Raleigh Police Department blocked off part of Sullivan Drive and Valentine Drive in connection with the investigation involving the train. The tracks cut through campus, going over Dan Allen Drive and under Gorman Street.
According to Jesse Tart, a sophomore studying engineering, he had been standing outside of Sullivan Hall since the police arrived on the scene.
“There were five or six Raleigh police officers in their blue uniforms walking up and down the tracks looking for something,” Tart said.
Brad Bohlander, associate vice chancellor for University Communications, said that at 3:30 p.m. University Police was called out to the scene by the Raleigh Police Department.
“It’s important that students know that the train tracks are lined by a tall fence that spans the length of campus,” Bohlander said.
There are no reports of injury of the 24 passengers nor the engineer who was riding on the train.
According to general statute 14-280.1. a person commits trespassing on the railroad right-of-way if they enter onto the tracks or remain on them without the consent of the railroad company, the person operating the railroad or without authority granted pursuant to State or federal law.
Trespassing on railroad right-of-way is a Class 3 misdemeanor, which can result in one to 20 days of active, intermediate or community punishment and/or up to $200 in fines.
A passenger Amtrak train on the track behind 621 Motor Pool Street, behind Valentine Commons and Sullivan Hall struck a man which resulted in the death of a 51 year old man.
