Officials are unsure why a 28-year-old man didn't get out of the way of an approaching Amtrak train Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 19 south of Hughson to avoid being killed.
The fatal incident was reported at 2:05 p.m. near Seventh Street and Santa Fe Avenue.
The victim, Christopher Jesus Torres, was seen by the Amtrak conductor trying to cross from the east side of the tracks to west of them, causing some to believe he misjudged whether he could clear the 80 mph train.
Stanislaus County Sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers found Torres' body about 100 feet from the point of impact. The train was stopped several hundred yards north of Seventh Street. The train, which bore a number of northbound passengers, was detained for about an hour while the scene was measured and photographed.
"There was no indication of suicide," said Tom Killian, deputy coroner.
Killian said the last address on file for Torres was a homeless shelter in Turlock.