Young California Woman Loses Arm After Train Slams into Her Bike

A 24-year-old woman is recovering after suffering a gruesome injury that left her without an arm when she was hit by an Amtrak train while trying to cross the tracks with her bicycle.

The terrifying incident unfolded around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 7, near Seaward Avenue in Ventura. According to police, the woman was walking her bike across the railroad tracks when tragedy struck. Authorities say it appears her bicycle got stuck—and seconds later, a southbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner barreled through.

“The train struck the bicycle while it was still in her grasp, resulting in the traumatic injury,” Ventura Police said in a statement. “It appears the bicycle may have become stuck on the tracks just before the collision occurred.”

A witness immediately called 911, reporting that the victim had lost her arm. When first responders arrived, they found the woman severely injured and her severed arm lying nearby. Officers provided emergency care at the scene before she was rushed to the hospital—arm in tow. As of late Monday night, she was in stable condition.

The woman’s identity has not been released, but multiple outlets confirmed she is 24 years old.

The incident is now part of a troubling trend on American railways. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, over 700 train-related collisions have already occurred in 2025, with 79 deaths and more than 200 injuries. California leads the nation in rail-related pedestrian casualties. In 2024 alone, the state saw 195 deaths and 132 injuries due to people crossing or trespassing on tracks.

“It’s a tragic reminder of how quickly things can go wrong near train tracks,” said railway safety advocate Carla Jennings. “Crossing just a few seconds too late can cost you everything.”

Police are continuing to investigate and are urging anyone with information to call 805-650-8010.

Just weeks earlier, a 50-year-old man was killed in Los Angeles after riding between two rail cars and falling onto the tracks. That fatality, too, involved a Metro train.

Train safety officials continue to stress a simple message: stay alert, and never try to beat the train.

“This young woman is lucky to be alive,” one investigator told us. “But her life has changed forever.”