Amtrak passenger train hits 3 kills one near Santa Barbara

Authorities say one person was killed and two others injured after they were struck by an Amtrak train on the California coast.

Santa Barbara County Fire spokesman Mike Eliason says the victims were among four people taking photos on a trestle around sunset Saturday as a southbound train was approaching.

Eliason said they tried to run off the trestle between Refugio State Beach and Gaviota State Park, but three were hit by the train. A woman was thrown onto the side of a hill and died at the scene. A man suffered critical injuries to the upper torso and head and another woman suffered moderate injuries.

A fourth man made it off the trestle and wasn’t hurt.

The Amtrak Coast Starlight train was stopped until investigators cleared the scene.