WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A memorial is growing at the site of a deadly Brightline train crash on the 6000 block of Roseland Drive in West Palm Beach, where family members identified the two people killed as Catalina Gabriel Lopez, 56, and Eduardo Otoniel Gabriel Lopez, 43.
Keyly Rivera, a teen who lives nearby, says she witnessed the collision and heard an argument the two had entered the car. Moments later, the car sped off and struck a northbound Brightline train.
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"We heard like boom a loud crash and so then we quickly came to check it out and then I turned to the corner over here and then I just see a bus of rubble and smoke. And I'm like oh my goodness, someone just crashed," Rivera said.
Rivera says her brother called 911. She described approaching the scene and checking on one of the victims.
"I was just like, who is this. So, then I go check it out, see if maybe he's still alive or like breathing or anything and then I get closer and he's really messed up," Rivera said. "I really was like, 'What just happened? ' I was like in complete shock."
Investigators say the crossing arms, warning sounds, and lights were all active when the car, heading west, collided with the Brightline train. They believe alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.
The crash also affected passengers aboard the Brightline. Marianella Mancini was on board when the collision happened.
"We kind of all just like, in shock. We were just looking at each other because it broke so hard, you were able to smell like the rubber of the tires," Mancini said.
Mancini said experiencing a Brightline crash firsthand was far different from simply hearing about one."Being the people in the actual train was a little scary, traumatizing," Mancini said.
West Palm Beach Police Public Information Officer Rachel Leitao issued a safety warning to the community moments after the crash.
"You want to make sure you stay behind those barriers. They come down for a reason. You wanna listen for those lights and hear the sounds. And make sure that you're keeping your distance. They're down for a reason," Leitao said.
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