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Man Turned 41 The Day He Was Killed By Light Rail

DENVER (CBS4) - New warning signs have been placed in the area where a man was killed by a light rail train in downtown Denver.

The coroner identified the victim is Naythan Cordovak, who had turned 41 years old on the day he was killed.

LIGHT RAIL ACCIDENT 1
(credit: CBS)

 

CBS4 learned Cordovak had a troubled past with arrests for such things as assault, drugs, vandalism and more. It's not clear if his death was a tragic accident or an intentional act.

There was a report of someone playing around on the tracks not along before the incident occurred at 14th and California streets.

"We're going to have to backtrack from here, determine exactly where he went under the train, and determine what caused him to go under the train," Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.

RELATED: Man Killed In Light Rail Train Accident

Death on the rails is not common, and not always an accident. There have been several suicides by train. In May of 2012 a woman was killed after entering a restricted area and placing herself on the tracks in the 400 block of West Evans. Last year a 14-year-old boy died after being struck by a train. He had apparently walked into a tunnel near Colorado Boulevard and Evans. There was another last year on the tracks in Golden.

LIGHT RAIL ACCIDENT
The scene of a light rail accident on 24th and Welton street (credit: CBS)

"We have it fenced off in a lot of locations, but even some of the suicides over the years have been in area where people climbed over fences and things like that," Scott Reed with the Regional Transportation District said.

Three years ago an intoxicated woman slipped to her death at 24th and Welton streets.

"Because it is such a large vehicle, they each weigh about 90,000 pounds; and because it can't stop on a dime … people need to be aware it's not the same thing as interacting with an automobile," Reed said.

Police say it is too early to say why a man ended up beneath the train and was dragged for blocks.

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