Full Notification

Earlier today, at approximately 11:23am, Novato Police Officers and Novato Fire Personnel responded to a report of a vehicle struck by a SMART Train in the area of Hamilton Parkway and Nave Drive.  A patrol officer in the immediate area heard the collision, located the victim’s vehicle and immediately attempted to render aid to the driver who was the only occupant of the vehicle.

Sadly, the driver, an 83-year-old female Novato resident, died despite first responder efforts.

It appears that the SMART Train was traveling Southbound just prior to the Hamilton Parkway crossing when the collision occurred. Preliminary information leads investigators to believe the vehicle, which had been traveling eastbound on Hamilton Parkway, had driven under the lowered crossing arms before being struck. 

The Novato Police Department Accident Investigation Team responded and are working cooperatively with SMART and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division to investigate this event. Rail service was stopped in the area for approximately four hours while passengers were interviewed, and the investigation was completed.

SMART Train officials responded to the scene to assist with the passengers who had been on the train at the time of the collision. No passengers on the train reported injuries.

The Novato Police Department offers our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the individual involved. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division has assumed the death investigation and their release of victim identification is pending notification to the family.

We would like to thank the Novato Fire Protection District and SMART for their assistance with this investigation. We remind the community to always be aware of your surroundings, especially in the vicinity of railroad crossings and tracks. 

The link below provides some simple rail safety tips to keep everyone safe and alive: https://sonomamarintrain.org/sites/default/files/Documents/SAFETY-FACT-SHEET-2017_0.pdf