Teen in Washington Struck by Train, Killed

— -- Authorities in Washington state are investigating after a 17-year-old girl was struck and killed by a train.

The teen -- identified as Kristi Bartz -- was walking on a BNSF train trestle over the Stillaguamish River with two friends when they were surprised by the train, authorities said. The two friends managed to move to safety, but Bartz didn’t get out of the train’s path in time, authorities said.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is investigating Bartz’s death.

Prior to the accident, the friends had visited a popular swimming area near the train tracks, authorities said.

Taylor Stockman was nearby, and watched as the trio tried to get away.

“I hear the train whistle. ... I can hear their feet running along the tracks, and I look up and I can see them running from the middle of the bridge ... and I can see the train coming round the track at them,” Stockman said.

The train’s crew stopped to perform CPR on Bartz, but those efforts were unsuccessful, authorities said.

According to Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety organization, 945 people across the United States were injured or killed trespassing on railroad property in 2014 -- a nearly 10 percent increase from 2013’s total of 863.

Pedestrians should only cross railroad tracks at designated public crossings, and trespassing on railroad property can lead to tickets and fines, in addition to safety concerns, according to Operation Lifesaver.