Todd Pearson Obituary, Death Cause – Police have identified the man who was fatally struck by a train while riding his bicycle in north Lincoln early Monday morning. The victim has been confirmed as 62-year-old Todd Pearson, a resident of Lincoln.

This tragic incident marks the second fatal train-related death in the city within just one week. It follows a separate incident in which a pedestrian was killed by a train near Northwest 84th and West O streets the previous Thursday.

Emergency responders and police officers were dispatched shortly after 12:30 a.m. to a reported collision involving an Amtrak train and a bicyclist at the railroad crossing near 33rd Street and Cornhusker Highway. Upon arrival, authorities discovered Pearson’s body in a ditch located west of the crossing and south of the railroad tracks. His bicycle was found nearby, lying on the rocks just south of the train tracks.

The train involved in the collision was Amtrak Train 5, which was en route from Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area. At the time of the crash, the train was carrying 246 passengers and crew members. Following the collision, the train was delayed for over three hours before continuing its westbound journey.

According to statements gathered by investigators from witnesses at the scene, Pearson had been riding his bicycle south through the crossing when the collision occurred. Witnesses reported that the crossing arms were down, warning lights were flashing, and the train had sounded its horn in accordance with standard safety procedures. Despite these active safety warnings, Pearson proceeded through the crossing and was struck.

The intersection was temporarily closed to traffic as authorities conducted their investigation and cleared the scene. The road has since been reopened.

The Lincoln Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident, reviewing all relevant evidence including interviews, safety system functionality, and video footage if available. Based on initial findings, the crossing signals and barriers were functioning properly at the time of the accident.

The back-to-back fatalities involving trains have raised concerns in the community about pedestrian and cyclist safety near railroad crossings. While the safety equipment appears to have been operational in this case, authorities are reminding the public to remain vigilant and obey all railroad warning signals, especially at night or in low visibility conditions.

Todd Pearson’s death has left the community mourning yet another loss in a short span of time. Friends, family, and local residents are expressing condolences and urging greater caution around train tracks.

Police and Amtrak officials have not reported any issues with Train 5 or the crossing infrastructure. The investigation remains ongoing, though no foul play is suspected.