Police identify man fatally struck by SEPTA train while texting

ABINGTON, PA. (WPVI) -- Police have identified the 20-year-old man who authorities say was struck and killed by a SEPTA train while texting and walking along the tracks.

Andre Washington of Jenkintown was hit by an outbound train on SEPTA's West Trenton line on Monday afternoon.

It happened a half mile east of the Old York Road Bridge in the Jenkintown section of Abington Township, near SEPTA's Noble Station at Old York Road and Rodman Avenue.

Authorities say Washington was walking on the tracks to meet a friend at a nearby Wawa. Police say he was texting and was not facing the path of the oncoming train.

The train engineer saw the man on the tracks and blew the caution horn repeatedly.

According to police, Washington never turned around or acknowledged that he knew the train was coming.

The train's engineer says he locked the brakes but was unable to stop the train in time.

Washington was struck and pronounced dead at the scene.

Trains were interrupted on the West Trenton Line for approximately two hours during the investigation.