Woman hit by Charlotte light rail train earlier this month walked past gates, official says
A woman struck by and pinned under a light rail train earlier this month is recovering at a hospital thanks to the swift action of Charlotte Area System Transit staff and the Charlotte Fire Department, the agency’s interim CEO said.
Speaking at the Metropolitan Transit Commission business meeting on Wednesday, CATS interim CEO Brent Cagle gave an overview of the accident that occurred on March 1 at the blue line light rail tracks at Remount Road when a woman walked through the downed gates.
Cagle said she didn’t have any situational awareness and walked in front of an oncoming train. The train’s operator saw her and attempted to the hit emergency brakes, but was unable to stop in time and hit her.
However, the Charlotte Fire Department is trained for such situations and freed her from underneath the train, Cagle said. She was taken to a hospital.
His update was met with applause at the meeting, which included city and Mecklenburg County leaders.
“This was a terrible incident, but it did show the professionalism and the training both of the CATS staff, the operator who was aware of this and was attempting to stop,” Cagle said. “And also the safety and security staff and the Charlotte Fire Department who immediately responded.”
This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Woman hit by Charlotte light rail train earlier this month walked past gates, official says."
