Latest SMART Train Death is Suspected Suicide

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A man who was struck and killed late Tuesday night on the SMART train tracks in Santa Rosa has been ruled a suicide.

68 year old Keith Marcum of Rohnert Park died around 9:30 Tuesday night after laying on the tracks in the path of an onrushing train. That according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. The findings are based on onboard train video viewed by investigators.

The tragic incident occurred about a quarter mile south of the Scenic Avenue crossing.

The death follows two others that took place just over a week ago on consecutive days at the Golf Course Drive crossing in Rohnert Park. In those fatal accidents, pedestrians were struck and killed when they were attempting to cross the tracks. One was on foot, one on a bicycle. SMART workers are currently installing Z gates at that crossing, and will soon begin work to do the same at almost 30 other road level crossings.

In all, there have been seven fatal accidents in which people have been struck and killed by SMART trains since the system began operations in 2017. Authorities believe four of those to be suicides.

The man killed Tuesday night had for decades operated an in-home care facility for adults and children in Rohnert Park. However in May, prosecutors filed 14 felong charges against Marcum including alleged sexual assaults on children and possessing child porn. He had reportedly been released on bond at the time of his death.