Man hit by train was 49-year-old San Mateo resident
By: Tamara Barak Aparton and Katie Worth
San Francisco Examiner
September 22, 2009
SAN MATEO — A man who died along with two parrots after being struck by a Caltrain in San Mateo Monday has been identified as 49-year-old Peter Manion.
Manion was a San Mateo resident, the San Mateo County coroner’s office confirmed Tuesday morning.
Caltrain officials say Manion, who was carrying the parrots, was hit at 4:40 p.m. by a northbound train, at the street-level East Bellevue Avenue crossing, which is between the San Mateo and Burlingame stations and a few blocks west of San Mateo High School.
Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said as of Monday night, investigators were still unsure whether the incident was an accident or a suicide and the only known witness was the train driver.
East Bellevue Avenue is one of the crossings that were recently upgraded, Dunn said. She said pedestrian gates had been installed.
Twelve people have died on Caltrain tracks this year. During summer, three teens died in apparent suicides on a single section of tracks in Palo Alto. Last year, there were 16 deaths associated with Caltrain.
