Man riding scooter struck and killed by light rail train in midtown Sacramento

A man was killed Monday afternoon after being struck by a light rail train while he was riding an electric scooter near the corner of 19th and T streets.

Sacramento police officers responded to the incident around 1:45 p.m., said Officer Allison Smith, a department spokesperson. The scooter rider was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters.

The roads in the area were closed, the police said in a social media post. T Street appeared to be closed between 19th and 20th streets at 4 p.m., with police cars stationed mostly between the light rail tracks and 19th Street.

Jaunell Thomas, a private security guard who works at a nearby building, said she was driving south on 19th Street when she saw a person riding a scooter east on T Street, toward the train tracks. She heard the train honking, then returned to see it stopped — just too late.

The train’s honks seemed to be “calling and telling the person to get out of the way,” Thomas said. “Obviously the train was going so fast it could not stop.”

By about 2 p.m., passengers were leaving the train and directed to the City College station to continue their rides, Thomas said.

Sacramento Regional Transit was offering a “bus bridge” between the Blue Line’s 13th Street and City College stops while the stopped train blocked the tracks, the agency said in a 2:15 p.m. social media post.

Detectives from the Police Department’s Major Collision Unit were helping investigate the crash, Smith said.

Sgt. Dan Wiseman, another department spokesperson, said at the scene that the light rail train had been moving south when it struck the scooter rider. He urged pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders to pay attention to traffic, especially in busy parts of town.

“Whether you’re on a bike, a scooter, regardless if it’s manually propelled or electric, just be visible and make sure you minimize your distractions,” Wiseman said. “We see a lot of people unfortunately who are distracted by certain devices — if you have headphones in, things like that.”

The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office was expected to identify the victim after his relatives were notified.

Police urged any witnesses to share information with investigators by calling 916-808-5471.

This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM.