SMART train collision leaves 1 dead in Novato

An 83-year-old woman was pronounced dead Friday after a collision between a SMART train and a vehicle in Novato.

The rail line said the collision occurred around 11:20 a.m. near Hamilton Parkway. The train was heading south.

Police said the car had been moving east on Hamilton Parkway and went under crossing arms that had been lowered for the train to come through.

A police officer on patrol nearby heard the crash, found the car and tried to help the driver. She died despite the officer's efforts, the Novato Police Department said.

The 28 passengers and crew members on the train were unhurt, said Julia Gonzalez, a spokesperson for Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit. SMART placed the passengers on buses to continue their trips, Gonzalez said.

Police closed Hamilton Parkway between Nave Drive and the Novato Skate Park during the initial investigation. The police department announced at about 3:40 p.m. that the road had been reopened.

Police said the Marin County Sheriff's Office's Coroner Division had taken over the death investigation. The woman's name was not released Friday.