A pedestrian was killed Sunday afternoon after being struck by an Amtrak train near Milpas Street, marking another fatal incident along one of Santa Barbara’s most dangerous stretches of railroad track.
According to the Santa Barbara Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 1:34 p.m. on February 1 after the department’s communications center received a 9-1-1 call reporting that an Amtrak train had struck a pedestrian at the Milpas Street railroad crossing.
Santa Barbara Police, Santa Barbara Fire Department, and AMR Paramedics responded to the scene. The pedestrian — described as an adult male — was pronounced dead after succumbing to his injuries.
Milpas Street was closed for several hours as authorities conducted their investigation and worked to safely move the train. The Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and assumed responsibility for the investigation. The man’s identity has not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.
As of Sunday evening, the train had been moved and traffic reopened.
In its statement, the Police Department emphasized the dangers associated with railroad crossings. “This is a tragic incident, and the Santa Barbara Police Department would like to remind everyone to please use extreme caution when you are crossing the railroad tracks and please abide by the warning signals at the railroad crossings,” the release stated.
The train involved was part of the Pacific Surfliner route operated by Amtrak, which runs multiple passenger trains daily through Santa Barbara County.
The Milpas Street corridor has long been identified as one of the county’s most dangerous rail segments. A Santa Barbara County Grand Jury report previously found that a “vast majority of fatalities” along the county’s rail line occurred in two areas: between Ortega Hill in Summerland and Milpas Street in Santa Barbara, and between Patterson Avenue and Glen Annie Road in Goleta.
More broadly, California continues to see elevated numbers of rail-related deaths. Federal Railroad Administration data show that between 2020 and 2023, California accounted for nearly a quarter of the nation’s rail-related trespassing fatalities. Officials have consistently noted that the majority of rail deaths nationwide involve people illegally on the tracks.
From January 2014 through December 2023, Santa Barbara County recorded 37 train-related fatalities, with an uptick in recent years. Five deaths occurred in the county in 2023 alone.
The investigation into Sunday’s incident remains ongoing.
