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Woman Struck, Killed by Freight Train in Martinez

MARTINEZ (KPIX) -- A woman is dead after she was struck and killed by a BNSF Railway freight train just before 6:30 pm Saturday.

BNSF spokesperson Lena Kent said the collision did not happen at a designated crossing.

All train traffic on the route between Stockton and Richmond was stopped during the investigation. No passenger trains use the route.

Rail Fatality in Martinez
A woman was killed on railroad tracks in Martinez on Saturday. (CBS)

"It's a tragedy, it's happened before in this stretch," said Martinez resident Richard Philbrook. "A few years ago, a young lady -- a resident here in Martinez -- passed away by hitting the train."

Today there is still a makeshift memorial on a nearby hillside. In March 2014, 14-year-old Jenna Betti was killed by a train near Howe and Old Orchard Roads. Her mother said she was on the tracks with her boyfriend before the collision. The train horn blew to alert them but she dropped her phone and went back to get it. A family friend told KPIX 5 Betti was sucked under the train as it approached.

Philbrook lives next to the tracks.

"Of late, a lot of homeless people here, in fact there was an encampment that just got torn down just recently, so there's quite a few homeless who live back here."

Authorities have not released the identity of the woman who died Saturday.

Martinez police officers were on scene to assist but BNSF is the lead agency doing the investigation.

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