A 58-year-old Braintree man was killed Saturday evening when his black Jeep Cherokee was hit by an MBTA commuter rail train in Braintree, according to police. The crash happened just before 5 p.m. at the Commerce Drive crossing on Grove Street, where officers say the SUV drove around the lowered crossing gate as a train bore down on the intersection. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and MBTA Transit Police have launched an investigation.
According to 7News WHDH, responding officers determined the Jeep intentionally went around the crossing guard on the Braintree-Weymouth line just before the train reached the crossing. WHDH reports the victim’s name has not yet been released. The station also quoted an MBTA statement offering, “On behalf of the Transit Police and the entire MBTA organization we offer our most sincere condolences to the victim’s family and friends.” Transit officials have not said whether any criminal charges could follow, noting the case remains under active review.
Braintree police urged drivers to steer clear of the area and diverted Grove Street traffic onto Columbian Street near Crossroads Pub, while Weymouth police closed West Street, according to NBC Boston. Video from the scene showed the Jeep badly wrecked and resting in a borrow pit beside the tracks. The MBTA warned riders that Kingston Line service was being held at Braintree while officers worked along the right-of-way, and Boston 25 posted the commuter-rail alert showing Train 6031 stopped at Braintree during the response.
What Investigators Are Focusing On
Transit Police say they are treating the crash as an active investigation and are reviewing whether the driver deliberately bypassed the crossing gates, per 7News WHDH. MBTA Transit Police typically team up with local departments on incidents along the tracks and are expected to release more details once they complete key parts of their review. Authorities have not released the victim’s name, citing the need to notify next of kin first.
Crossing Safety in the Grove Street Corridor
The Grove Street corridor has already been on transportation planners’ radar for a higher-than-average crash rate, and a Central Transportation Planning Staff study flags safety issues around Commerce Drive and nearby intersections. That report calls for targeted fixes to pedestrian crossings and signal timing to cut down on vehicle conflicts, changes experts say could also make drivers less tempted to skirt rail gates in the first place. Saturday’s deadly collision is likely to reignite debate over engineering upgrades and stricter enforcement along Braintree’s commuter-rail corridor…