Woman Killed By Light Rail Train In Five Points Identified

DENVER (CBS4) - A woman who was dragged to her death by a light rail train in downtown Denver has been identified as Jessica Lubken, 26, of Denver.

The incident happened around 1:03 p.m. on Tuesday at 24th and Welton streets in Five Points.

A witness told CBS4 while the train was stopped at the intersection Lubken, who appeared intoxicated, ran up to the front of the train and began beating on the glass, asking the conductor to let her on board. The conductor motioned for the woman to move out of the way and once she did the train began to move again. Witnesses said Lubken then somehow slipped and fell under the train and was dragged.

"She was trying to get on the light rail and the driver took off and somehow she got caught under there and we saw her rolling around," witness Ryan Collins said. "I don't know if she was completely underneath it but she got pretty twisted up."

"She cleared the front of the light rail to the side and that's when the driver started to take off slowly," witness Mark Candelaria said. "She must have got hooked onto the side of the train and tumbled."

Lubken was transported to a hospital where she died. An autopsy shows the cause of death is multiple blunt force injuries. The manner of death is ruled accidental.

Trains aren't allowed to pick up passengers except for at designated areas.

A Regional Transportation District spokesperson said there have been five incidents at the intersection since 1996 with three involving vehicles and two involving pedestrians.

The D Line light rail service going north had to end at 18th Avenue and California Street for several hours while police conducted the investigation.