OTTUMWA COURIER — An Ottumwa woman was struck and killed by a train in Ottumwa, police records released Wednesday show.
The collision was reported at the railroad crossing in the 200 block of South Iowa Avenue near the Des Moines River in Ottumwa on 3:28 p.m. on April 30. The Ottumwa Police Department’s report of the fatal incident was released to the Ottumwa Courier Wednesday following a request by the newspaper.
Officers say 23-year-old Madison Rae Derby, of Ottumwa, was killed after being struck by a train on the north set of tracks. At the time, the crossing was closed to vehicular traffic for maintenance.
Investigators say video footage from the front of the train showed Derby crossing the tracks while wheeling a bicycle. The train’s operator noticed a pedestrian on the tracks and began sounding the train’s horn to attempt to alert the pedestrian. Police said the woman dropped the bicycle and looked away just prior to being struck by the train.
Derby was pronounced dead at the scene.
