The death of an 18-year-old woman killed May 2 in Union City when she tried to run across railroad tracks and was hit by a train has been ruled an accident, the Darke County Coroner's office said.

Destiny Longenecker died at 9:30 p.m. near the CSX Railroad crossing at Deerfield Road in Union City.

Darke County Coroner Timothy Kathman, M.D., said Thursday, May 14, that review of a video from a train-mounted camera provided by CSX Transportation showed Longenecker "attempting to cross the tracks in front of the train without sufficient time or clearance to do so."
The train was traveling about 45 mph, within the speed limit for train traffic at that location.

The crossing gates were down, the bell was functioning normally, and the engineer was sounding the horn as the train approached the crossing, Kathman's statement said.

Longenecker, of Greenville, was a senior at Greenville Senior High School.

Before she attempted to cross the tracks, a 17-year-old male friend ran across and made it to the other side safely, said Joe VanVickle, chief investigator in the coroner's office.
"It's a tragic accident and the 17-year-old male is not responsible," VanVickle said.

The investigation was conducted by the coroner's office and the Union City Police Department.