Deadly Westmont Metra Collision an Accident, Not Suicide: Coroner

The man who died after being struck by a Metra train near the Cass Avenue crossing in Westmont on March 7 did not commit suicide, DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said Wednesday.

Jorgensen's office ruled in its report completed on April 20 that 31-year-old Eric Bennett, of Hickory Hills, did not intend to be hit by the eastbound commuter train that was carrying only an engineer and crew. But he did, according to witnesses the coroner spoke to, disobey down warning gates and had his head down before he was struck near the Westmont train station at around 5:46 p.m. that Thursday evening.

READ: Male Pedestrian Dies After Being Struck by BNSF Metra Train in Westmont

Jorgensen said the manner of death was "accidental," and the cause of death was "multiple injuries by train-versus-pedestrian accident."

The coroner said there were no signs the incident was a suicide.

"Basically there was no indication of him attempting to commit suicide or leaving any notes," Jorgensen said. "There were witnesses that said he walked past the gate and was standing on the other side of the gate when the train went by. The witnesses state that he had his head down and was trying to light a cigarette when a train came by and hit him."

Jorgensen said there were no other trains present in the immediate area at the time. The gates were down only for the train that hit Bennett.

Westmont Police Department Sgt. Stephen Thompson said his department has closed its case on the incident, and it concurs with the coroner's findings.

"There was no evidence whatsoever that this was a suicide," Thompson said. 

READ: Metra Provides Tips on Crossing Tracks Safely

Three fatal train-on-pedestrian collisions have occurred on the BNSF tracks since the Westmont incident. 

A Clarendon Hills man was struck by a train near the West Hinsdale station on March 18; a Downers Grove man was struck near the Forest Avenue crossing on March 19; and a La Grange man was struck near the Stone Avenue station on April 11.

All three of those incidents appear to be suicides, according to the police departments involved in their investigations.

Family members and friends of Eric Bennett's can email the editor at joe.odonnell@patch.com any time if they are interested in sharing thoughts or memories of the victim.

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