Man struck, killed by BNSF freight train near Sultan

A man was struck and killed by a Burlington Northern Sante Fe freight train hauling vehicles east of Sultan around noon Sunday, April 2.

The company is investigating the incident with help from local authorities, said BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas. At least four trains were delayed in the area for four hours while the railroad's main line was shut down by crews investigating the scene. Between 20-23 trains pass through that area per day, he said.

No BNSF employees were injured, Melonas said. The train did not derail and was not damaged, he said.

The man died in a stretch of property near Reese Road, which parallels the Skykomish and Wallace rivers. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause and manner of death, and has not yet released the identity of the man.

Melonas said BNSF does not have a timeline for when the company's investigation will be complete, and will not publicly release the results.

Snohomish County Sheriff's spokeswoman Shari Ireton said the train engineer reported that he saw the man jump in front of the train. The incident will not be investigated by the Snohomish County's Major Crimes Unit, she said.

“The death does not appear to be suspicious, nor does it appear that a crime has taken place,” she said.