Medical examiner releases ID of pedestrian killed by train in Bellingham
Bellingham police responded to a railway fatality the night of Aug. 6 at the Harris Avenue crossing following the death of a pedestrian.
Whatcom County Medical Examiner Dr. Aldo Fusaro identified the deceased as David L. Battles, 61, an unhoused man, and the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries.
A BNSF Railway freight train heading north struck the pedestrian around 10:33 p.m., and authorities have yet to determine why Battles was standing on the tracks, according to Lt. Claudia Murphy with the Bellingham Police Department.
“At approximately 1:30 CT Wednesday, a train struck an individual at a crossing on the Bellingham Subdivision. There were no injuries to the crew. The individual was fatally injured. The crossing is equipped with gates, lights, and bells,” Kendall Sloan with BNSF told The Herald. BNSF offered no additional comment.
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 12:40 PM.
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