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New Hampshire woman killed by train while trying to save dog from tracks
A New Hampshire woman died after being hit by a train while trying to save a dog on the tracks.
A 42-year-old woman from Plaistow, New Hampshire, was fatally struck by a train earlier this week while attempting to rescue a dog that had run onto the tracks. According to a statement issued by the Exeter Police Department, the incident occurred on the afternoon of June 2 near the Newfields Road trestle in Exeter.
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Police said the woman, identified as Alicia Leonardi, had been walking along the train tracks with her ex-boyfriend and his unleashed dog when an Amtrak train approached unexpectedly from a bend behind them. At the sound of the train’s horn, the startled dog darted onto the tracks. Both Leonardi and her ex-boyfriend attempted to retrieve the dog but were struck by the train in the process. Leonardi died at the scene, while the man sustained only minor injuries. The dog was unharmed.
In an official Facebook post, the Exeter Police wrote:
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the investigation into a tragic event that left a pedestrian fatally struck by an Amtrak train in Exeter... Preliminary investigation suggests that the victim and a friend were walking a dog along the tracks. The train approached quickly from a corner behind them and the unleashed dog ran onto the tracks at the sound of the train’s horn. The couple attempted to get the dog off the tracks and as a result both people were struck.”
The post confirmed the identity of the deceased as Alicia Leonardi and expressed “sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Leonardi.” Authorities are continuing to investigate the case in collaboration with Amtrak Police and CSX Police.
Check out the statement here:
“She loved that dog”
Leonardi’s mother, Cathleen Collis, spoke to NBC10 Boston, recalling her daughter's bond with the animal. “She loved that dog,” she said. “And it wasn’t even her dog.”
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“They said the train came around and spooked the dog, and she went after the dog, and that’s when she got hit,” Collis added.
The case remains under investigation.
