Man struck, killed by Brightline train in Pompano Beach, deputies say

A Brightline train hit and killed a pedestrian early Wednesday morning in Pompano Beach, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

At around 2 a.m., BSO deputies and Pompano Beach Fire Rescue went to the intersection of Northeast 48th Street and North Dixie Highway in Pompano Beach after reports of the collision.

Brian Baker, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene, BSO spokesperson Gerdy St. Louis said.

BSO homicide and crime scene detectives are investigating the fatal crash.

An investigation by the Miami Herald and WLRN showed that Brightline is the deadliest passenger railroad in the United States. The Pompano Beach fatality brings the Brightline death toll to 186 since 2017, with 160 of those deaths in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Pompano Beach has been the site of 16 fatalities, most of them pedestrians, reporters found. So far this year, 23 people have died after being struck by Brightline trains. In Broward, the trains travel at a speed of 79 mph and do not slow down when going through neighborhoods.

The incident took place outside Brightline’s regular service hours. The train was not carrying passengers and was getting into position for the morning schedule.

KILLER TRAIN: Brightline death toll surpasses 180, but safeguards are still lacking

Miami Herald staff writer Brittany Wallman contributed to this report. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 10:40 AM.