12-Year-Old Girl Killed by Metrolink Train
SANTA ANA — A 12-year-old Santa Ana girl was killed Tuesday as she apparently tried to outrun one of the many trains that whiz past her working-class neighborhood.
Elizabeth Tepox was coming home from a fast-food restaurant with her 22-year-old sister and the sister’s toddler when she darted in front of a northbound Metrolink train shortly after 5:30 p.m.
It was the second fatality in two months near the heavily traveled train crossing at McFadden Avenue and South Lyon Street.
Witnesses said warnings lights were flashing and gates were down when Elizabeth, her sister and niece started to cross the tracks. Halfway across, the mother and daughter stopped, but Elizabeth continued into the path of the speeding train, which carried her body 100 yards down the track.
Paramedics said they believe she died on impact.
Police Sgt. Raul Luna said the sister and her baby were lucky not to have been pulled into the path of the train by the force of the wind that is created when it passes.
The accident drew more than 200 spectators. At least a dozen of Elizabeth’s family members huddled near the tracks, sobbing and hugging.
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