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A 22-year-old homeless man was struck and killed by a FrontRunner commuter train as he walked along the tracks late Wednesday evening.
Sunset Police Chief Ken Eborn identified the victim as Robbie Natthan Lucero. Eborn said Lucero was staying with his girlfriend in her car, which they had driven to a park in nearby Clinton for the night.
During what is suspected to have been an alcohol-fueled argument between the two, Lucero apparently walked away from the car and onto the tracks. A short time later, the girlfriend told police, she heard the train screech to a stop.
"She said when she heard that, she kind of knew what had happened," Eborn said.
The southbound FrontRunner struck Lucero near 2300 North, just on the municipal border between Sunset and Clinton, about 9:30 p.m. The train likely was traveling near its top speed of 79 mph, Utah Transit Authority spokesman Gerry Carpenter said.
Eborn said that in the darkness, it was too late when the conductor noticed Lucero, who was killed instantly.
The incident remained under investigation Thursday.
"We still don't know if this is an accident or intentional on his part," Eborn said.
No one on the train was hurt, but passengers had to be taken from the scene to their destinations by bus for about an hour while the incident was investigated.