MERRIFIELD, Va. — A man died after being dragged by a DC Metro train Wednesday because of a dog leash caught in a door as the train left a station, the Washington Post reports.
The incident occurred about 1:30 p.m. at the Dunn Loring station on Metro’s Orange Line in the Fairfax County community of Merrifield. Police say the man had boarded the train with a dog on a leash. When the man exited the train at Dunn Loring, the dog remained on board, and ended up on the opposite side of the door as the train began to pull out.
“While the investigation is still ongoing, video appears to show the incident occurred approximately 450 feet away from the operator cab,” Metro police said in a statement on Twitter. “… The deceased cleared the train and was on the platform away from the car, but upon closer review, a leash appears to be tied to the person. … This obstruction caused the individual to be dragged on the platform and onto the tracks.”
The man was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. Family members have subsequently identified the victim as Harold Riley, age 50, and said the dog was his service dog for PTSD related to childhood trauma, WJLA-TV reports.
Metro trains doors are closed manually by operators, and the police statement says the operator conducted two safety checks before closing the doors. The doors have sensors to detect obstructions, but an object as small as leash would likely not prevent the train from moving.
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission is investigating the incident. The accident comes about two months after Metro indicated it wanted to restore automated operation of the Metrorail system, which was discontinued after a fatal 2009 accident [see “DC Metrorail seeks return …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 7, 2022]. Full automation would eventually include the opening and closing of doors, although initial plans call for operators to continue to close doors manually.
— Updated at 5:20 p.m. CST with information on victim.
Far to many people want to keep their hands free so they can use their cell phone so they tie the pets leash to their waist. Sounds like that is what this person did.
An incident similar to this occurred in Chicago on Metra. But it involved a lady who had a musical instrument case that got caught in the door. She was dragged and severely injured.
Cue the mad rush of personal injury attorneys.