Jennifer A. McDonnell Death, Obituary – It was just after ten in the morning on Sunday when officers from Swansea were dispatched to the Metro light rail crossing on Old Caseyville Road, which is located north of IL-161, in response to a report that someone had been hit by a train. When officers arrived on the scene, a preliminary investigation indicated that a woman tried to cross the tracks with her dog while the crossing gates were down, according to a press release from the Swansea Police Department that was posted on Facebook. The release was made public by the department. When the woman was hit, she had just crossed in front of a train headed in the opposite direction. Her injuries were fatal, and she passed away.
Jennifer A. McDonnell, 52 years old, was named as the suspect by the police late on Sunday night. The animal was found safe and sound. A member of the family was the lucky recipient of the dog. Detectives are requesting that anybody who may have observed the event get in touch with Detective Alex Wilken of the Swansea Police Department by calling 618-233-8114. The president and chief executive officer of Bi-State Development, Taulby Roach, has issued a statement regarding the incident. Bi-State Development controls Metro Transit:
At the Old Caseyville Road crossing in Swansea on January 15, 2023, a tragic accident occurred when a person was struck and killed by an eastbound MetroLink train. The incident took place on the same day. A person was seen accessing the crossing from the north side while jogging behind her dog. This was in spite of active warning lights, bells, and the gates being in the down position. In spite of the train operator’s best efforts to use the brakes, the train was not able to come to a halt in time to avoid the collision. The dog was found later and returned to its owner unhurt by officers from the local police department.
We would like to extend our deepest condolences, on behalf of everyone here at Metro Transit and the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners, to the family and loved ones of the individual who was killed in this terrible accident. We are aware of the seriousness of the matter and are providing our full cooperation to the authorities as they continue their investigation to determine the root of the problem. For the sake of everyone’s safety, the general public is reminded of how vitally important it is to abide by warning signals at grade crossings.
In the name of the Board of Commissioners and the whole Metro Transit team, I would like to extend our gratitude to the MetroLink Support Teams, the emergency responders, and the train operator for the prompt measures that they took in response to this challenging situation. We are providing the train operator with support and resources to ensure that her emotional well-being is taken care of and that she has the necessary support to help her cope with the tragic event that occurred. We are aware of the emotional toll that this unfortunate event has taken on the train operator.
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