Family sues California rail line over worker death

Family files wrongful-death lawsuit against Bay Area Rapid Transit over death of track worker

5/17/2014

OAKLAND, Calif. — Family members of one of two track workers struck and killed by a San Francisco Bay Area commuter train have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the transit agency.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that two daughters of Laurence Daniels say in the suit filed Friday in Alameda County Superior Court that a Bay Area Rapid Transit train was driven by “an inexperienced and not properly trained operator-in-training.”

Calls to a BART spokeswoman for comment weren’t immediately returned Saturday.

Daniels and Christopher Sheppard were killed Oct. 19 during a training run while BART workers were on their second strike within four months and train service was halted.

The lawsuit comes a month after state workplace safety officials fined BART $210,000, saying the train was operated by an inexperienced driver with inadequate supervision.