Jennifer A. McDonnell Obituary, Death – An investigation into the Metro train collision that occurred on Sunday and resulted in the death of a lady is being conducted by the Swansea Police Department, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Clair County Coroner’s Office, and workers of MetroLink.
Someone was struck by a train on Sunday morning about ten o’clock, which prompted the Swansea police department to be called to the Metro light rail crossing on Old Caseyville Road, which is located north of IL-161. An initial investigation revealed that a woman attempted to cross the tracks with her dog while the gates were down, according to a press release from the Swansea Police Department that was posted on Facebook. The release stated that when officers arrived on the scene, an initial investigation revealed this information. When the woman crossed in front of an eastbound train, she was struck and injured by the train. She succumbed to the injuries she sustained and passed away.
On Sunday night, the authorities learned that the woman was identified as Jennifer A. McDonnell, who is 52 years old.
Her puppy was located unharmed and unscathed. The dog was taken care of by a member of the family.
Anyone who believes they may have witnessed what took place is urged to get in touch with Detective Alex Wilken at the Swansea Police Department by dialing 618-233-8114. Taulby Roach, who serves as president and chief executive officer of Bi-State Development, provided some commentary on the recent events. Bi-State Development controls Metro Transit:
A terrible incident occurred on January 15, 2023 at the junction of Old Caseyville Road and Swansea Boulevard in Swansea. A person was struck and killed by a MetroLink train traveling in the eastbound direction. Someone was seen jogging their dog onto the crossing from the north side while the gates were closed, warning lights and bells were on, and all of the warning devices were engaged. The train operator made many attempts to bring the train to a stop, but the train was unable to come to a stop in time to avoid the collision. The dog was unharmed, and the authorities in the area were able to locate it at a later time.
Everyone at Metro Transit and the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners extends their most heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of the person who was killed in this awful accident. We are all heartbroken by this tragic loss. We are providing the authorities with any and all information they request in order to assist them in their investigation into this matter because we are aware of how serious it is. In order to ensure that everybody stays safe, it is imperative that people pay attention to the warning lights that are present at grade crossings. In the name of the Board of Commissioners and the rest of the Metro Transit team, I would like to express our gratitude to the people who came to our aid so swiftly in this difficult circumstance, including the members of the MetroLink Support Teams and the train operator.
We are providing the train operator with support and resources because we are aware of how taxing this occurrence has been on her feelings, and we want to make sure that her feelings are taken care of and that she has the assistance she requires to deal with what has occurred.