ARIZONA NEWS

Train hits, kills man who was laying on tracks in Phoenix

Jul 19, 2023, 1:10 PM

Google Street View image of train tracks crossing Indian School Road near 35th Avenue in Phoenix, A...

Train tracks cross Indian School Road near 35th Avenue in Phoenix. (Google Street View Screenshot)

(Google Street View Screenshot)

PHOENIX – A man was killed by a commercial train early Wednesday after laying down on tracks in west Phoenix, authorities said.

Officers responded to the area near the 35th Avenue/Indian School Road/Grand Avenue intersection around 1:30 a.m. and found a man on the tracks with obvious signs of injury, the Phoenix Police Department said.

Fire department personnel arrived and pronounced 59-year-old Richard Sierzega dead at the scene.

Detectives determined that Sierzega was laying on the tracks and the conductor was unable to stop the train in time to avoid hitting him.

The investigation is ongoing.

The railroad crossing at 35th Avenue and Indian School Road was named one of the most dangerous in the nation in a 2016 study by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration.

The tracks in that area run parallel to Grand Avenue (aka U.S. 60), the only major diagonal road on the Valley’s street grid.

In 2018, officials approved a plan to make traffic signal and railroad crossing safety enhancements at the busy three-street intersection.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup closed its Tempe and Chandler locations....

Kevin Stone

Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup closes 2 of its 5 metro Phoenix restaurants

Gadzooks Enchiladas & Soup, a family-owned Valley restaurant business, has shuttered two of its five locations.

45 minutes ago

A pedestrian was struck and killed on a freeway access road near downtown Phoenix Wednesday night....

Kevin Stone

Pedestrian struck and killed on freeway access road near downtown Phoenix

A pedestrian was struck and killed on a freeway access road near downtown Phoenix Wednesday night, authorities said.

2 hours ago

Westbound Interstate 10 was closed in Tempe early Thursday due to a law enforcement situation....

Kevin Stone

Interstate 10 closed in Tempe for investigation into fatal shooting

Westbound Interstate 10 was closed in Tempe for a homicide investigation early Thursday after a woman was found dead at a gas station, authorities said.

3 hours ago

(City of Phoenix media photo)...

Bailey Leasure

Phoenix reaches housing creation and preservation goal 5 years early

Phoenix announced it has reached its goal of creating or preserving over 53,000 houses throughout the city.

5 hours ago

The Mesa Library has begun installing solar panel canopies. In addition to generating energy, the s...

David Veenstra

Mesa Library installing solar panel canopies to generate energy, provide shaded parking

The Mesa Library has begun installing solar panel canopies. In addition to generating energy, the solar panel canopies will provide covered parking.

5 hours ago

Valley events calendar...

KTAR.com

Valley events calendar: Here’s a rundown of things to do around metro Phoenix

Our Valley events calendar keeps you up to date on the wide variety of activities across the Phoenix area.

5 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to start your retirement planning early and avoid costly mistakes

Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can avoid costly pitfalls.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to save money on retirement planning following 2024 election

PHOENIX -- With the 2024 election over, economic changes could impact how people plan for retirement as 2025 is on the horizon.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Train hits, kills man who was laying on tracks in Phoenix