Two people killed in separate Metrolink crashes

Authorities have identified two people who were killed in separate Southern California Metrolink crashes Monday, one in Dana Point and one in Sylmar.

In Orange County around 4 p.m., the Metrolink 609 train carrying about 64 passengers between San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano struck two people, one of whom died, said Metrolink spokesman Chris Gutierrez. The Orange County coroner’s office has identified him as 71-year-old Ernest Gibson of Lake Elsinore.

The two were not at a station and were in an area where pedestrians are not allowed, Gutierrez said. He could not provide information about the injured person.

About two hours later in Sylmar, a woman fell onto the tracks at the Sylmar Metrolink station at 12219 Frank Modugno Dr., as a 285 train traveling north from Union Station was pulling in, authorities said.

Los Angeles police have identified the victim as Felicia Smith, 24, of Long Beach. The train was pulling four passenger coaches with 235 riders. The right front side of the train hit Smith, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, said LAPD Officer Salvador Reyes.

A man who tried to help her was also hit and suffered minor injuries, said LAPD Officer Christopher No, a spokesman.

The crashes were unrelated, Gutierrez said. He did not provide data on how common Metrolink fatalities are, but said, “it’s not really usual to have two incidents like this in a day.”

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.