The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined that the death of an 82-year-old Wilmette woman hit by a train was an accident.
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The woman, identified by the medical examiner as Zenobia W. Ciesielska, was struck by a Metra train just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday at the Central Avenue crossing at Green Bay Road in downtown Wilmette, according to police.
Wilmette police said their investigation also showed the woman did not intend to put herself in harm’s way.
“Witness statements and evidence from the scene clearly indicate that the death was an accident and not an intentional act,” Police Chief Brian King said.
Ciesielska died of multiple injuries as a result of the accident, according to the examiner’s office, which performed an autopsy on Thursday.
Wilmette police said their initial investigation showed the woman walked around train gates that were “deployed and functioning properly.” As she tried to make it across the tracks, Ciesielska was hit by a southbound Metra train, police said.
Police said they were working with Metra and Union Pacific officials on the investigation, which continues.
All inbound and outbound service on the Union Pacific North line in the area came to a halt after the incident. Most trains resumed operations later in the morning, but with delays, Metra said.
The train had left Kenosha, Wisc., and was due to arrive at Chicago’s Ogilvie Transportation Center at 8:26 a.m. It was eventually allowed to continue onto Chicago, but not for more than 90 minutes, officials said.