DeLeon Springs, Fla. (VCSO) – A man sleeping on the side of the railroad tracks near DeLeon Springs lost his life Sunday evening when he was struck by a passenger train.
Deputies responded to the scene south of Dawson Brown Road and U.S. 17 around 6:20 p.m. after the CSX railroad dispatchers reported the crash. The victim, 55-year-old Matthew Bryan Owens, was pronounced deceased on scene.
During the initial investigation, detectives learned that Owens had been walking northbound along the tracks with his girlfriend when he stopped to take a break while she continued north to a meeting place. The train’s video system showed Owens lying against the tracks, apparently asleep and failing to respond to the train’s horn before the collision.
The train, an Amtrak train carrying approximately 500 passengers, was cleared from the scene around 11 p.m.
There were no suspicious circumstances or signs of impairment observed during the initial investigation, and Owens’ next of kin was notified and provided information about available support services.
