Woman loses arm after collision with oncoming train in Ventura County

A woman was hit and seriously injured by an Amtrak train Monday evening in the city of Ventura, suffering a severed arm, according to police.

It happened around 5:25 p.m. at a railroad overcrossing near Seaward Avenue, the Ventura Police Department says.

The 24-year-old woman was believed to be carrying a bicycle in one arm as she crossed the train tracks near an oncoming southbound train.

“The train struck the bicycle while it was still in her grasp, resulting in the traumatic injury,” a release from the Police Department states. “It appears the bicycle may have become stuck on the tracks just before the collision occurred.”

Officers on scene provided first aid until paramedics could arrive, at which point the woman was rushed to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment. The woman’s severed limb, according to police, was located near the accident and taken with her to the hospital.

As of 7 p.m., Ventura police said the woman is believed to be in stable condition.

Anyone with information about the circumstances leading up to this violent collision is urged to contact the Ventura Police Department at 805-650-8010.

According to the Federal Rail Administration, there were 195 deaths and 132 injuries related to pedestrian trespassing incidents in California in 2024 — the most of any state.