Woman hit, killed by train in Gainesville

Police are investigating after a pedestrian was hit and killed by a train in Gainesville.

The woman, identified Friday by police as Jennifer Johnson, 33, of Lawrenceville, was walking along a stretch of train tracks near Georgia Avenue about 6 a.m. Thursday when the conductor of an approaching Norfolk Southern train spotted her, Gainesville police Sgt. Kevin Holbrook told AJC.com.

“Through the witness accounts from train personnel, the female was walking along the train tracks at which point the conductor attempted to notify her through the lights and through the horn,” Holbrook said. “They tried to stop the train, but unfortunately she was struck and killed at the scene.”

The train hit the woman a few hundred feet from a crossing and an overpass, he said. It is the site of a former homeless camp that has since been relocated, but Holbrook said there is still a good amount of foot traffic through the area.

In other news:

The victim is still in the hospital recovering from those severe burns.

About the Author

More of the AJC’s in-depth coverage of Atlanta’s plans for international event

‘The only thing that changes is how we deliver it’

As the AJC nears the end of its print chapter, some of the reporters, editors and photographers who make the AJC reflect on their “big break" moments.

Georgia sees one of the highest rises in life expectancy in the nation

Georgia's life expectancy rose more sharply than most U.S. states as the coronavirus pandemic receded, according to the latest CDC data, but still has ground to make up.

The Latest