Woman pulled in front of train by dog is ID'd

A woman who died after the dog she was walking pulled her into the path of an Amtrak train was identified today as 32-year-old Vida Silver of Hayward.

Silver was walking a pit bull terrier on Blossom Way (links.sfgate.com/ZHHL) about a mile north of the Hayward station around 2:15 p.m. Thursday. The dog's owner, an 18-year-old man, rode a bicycle around the crossing arms as the train approached, said Alameda County sheriff's Sgt. J.D. Nelson.

The dog apparently began following its owner and pulled the woman into the train's path, Nelson said. Silver had the leash wrapped around her hand in order to control the dog and was unable to let go, authorities said.

Both Silver and the dog died when they were hit by a Capitol Corridor train headed from Sacramento to San Jose, said Amtrak spokeswoman Vernaé Graham. Silver was identified today by the county coroner.

Her death came hours after a man jumped in front of a train near Grayson Street in Berkeley at 10:50 a.m., Graham said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was not released pending notification of his family.