Train hits and kills pedestrian, then does it again later

An Amtrak commuter train struck and killed two pedestrians in separate incidents in Berkeley and Oakland on Friday afternoon, according to train officials and the Alameda County Coroner's office. The first incident occurred at 12:20 p.m. just north of the Berkeley Amtrak, said Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole.

About two hours later, Cole said, the same train struck and killed another pedestrian just south of the Oakland station near the intersection of East 12th Street and 29th Avenue. Officials with the Capitol Corridor train system, which travels between the South Bay and the Sacramento area, said it was the No. 535 train heading south from Sacramento to San Jose. There were delays to the system shortly after the incident, said spokeswoman Luna Salaver.

According to the Alameda County Coroner's Office, an unidentified woman who appeared to be in her late 60s was the victim of the Berkeley collision, and an unidentified male whose age is unknown was the victim of the Oakland collision. Deputy Coroner T. Engel of Alameda County said on Friday evening that both victims appear to have been killed instantly by blunt trauma, and that the incidents are "both possibly suicide."

He said the identification process is continuing, and next of kin have not yet been identified. Cole said that after an investigation into the first collision, the train was given a new crew. The train continued south from the area about 1:50 p.m. At about 2:15 p.m., the second collision occurred, Cole said. The train was taken out of service for the day and its 15 passengers were transferred to another train. He said that in both incidents it appears that the victims were trespassing on the tracks.