Police: Runner killed by Amtrak train near Ruston Way in Tacoma

A runner in his early 30s died Thursday when he was hit by a train near Ruston Way in Tacoma.

“He was part of a running club, they saw a freight train go by, so he ran and did not see the Amtrak train coming,” Tacoma police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said.

The accident happened about 7:30 p.m. at McCarver Street and Ruston Way.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Gus Melonas said the group reportedly ran around the railroad crossing gate gate after the freight train passed, at which point the man was hit by the Amtrak train.

No one else was injured.

Melonas said the man is the 23rd person hit and killed on BNSF tracks in Washington this year, which marks the highest number of such fatalities in the state of any year in the past decade.

“We can’t encourage the public enough: trains move on any track, at any time, in any direction,” he said.

Crews blocked off the area to traffic as they responded.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Police: Runner killed by Amtrak train near Ruston Way in Tacoma."