Pedestrian hit, killed by Metro train

A light rail train hit and killed a pedestrian at Fannin South and Loop 610 South on Tuesday. A light rail train hit and killed a pedestrian at Fannin South and Loop 610 South on Tuesday. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Chronicle Photo: Melissa Phillip, Chronicle Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Pedestrian hit, killed by Metro train 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

A man died after he walked into the path of an oncoming METRO light rail train near NRG Park.

He was struck and killed about 4 p.m. Tuesday along a section of the light rail track near Fannin and the South Loop.

Metro officials said the guard rail was down and the lights were flashing to signal the approaching train.

"But, apparently he kept on walking, according to the eyewitnesses," said Jerome Gray, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County.

Metro officials said only a few people were on the train at the time. The speed limit at the spot is 40 mph and the driver was going about 35 mph. There will be a routine test to check if the Metro train driver was impaired, officials said.

The deceased man has not been formally identified, but Metro officials said some of the witnesses described him as a panhandler.

Lynn Lucas said he has been coming to the spot for the past six months to ask passing motorists for change.

"I know everyone there by sight. There's a group of us," Lucas said. He did not know which one of the others was killed.

Lucas said the police regularly try to move them to locations away from dangerous train tracks.

"The police are trying to look out for us but we don't listen," Lucas said. "They are constantly on us."

But the panhandlers quickly return because the spot is a prime location to solicit money, known as "flying a sign."

"All these people are going to the Medical Center so they have money. This is a lucrative corner," Lucas said.

Adela Bernal was not on the train at the time but said she regularly rides the route to her job at the Texas Medical Center.

"It's just heartbreaking," Bernal said as officials continued their investigation. "I always tell people to be careful around the train."

Reporter Dylan Baddour contributed to this report.