Chicago Transit Authority fires train operator who hit, killed woman

Jul. 28--A Chicago operator of a train that hit and killed a woman last month has been fired.

The unidentified Chicago Transit Authority operator was seen looking away from the tracks for about 12 seconds shortly before Felon Smith was hit on the tracks, according to video obtained by the Chicago Tribune.

Smith, 37, had climbed onto the tracks after dropping her cell phone, officials said.

"Following an extensive investigation that involved multiple activities -- interviewing employees and witnesses, reviewing available video, examining equipment, and other steps -- CTA found that the train operator violated guidelines regarding train operations, including attention to duty and safe train operations," a spokesperson said in a statement to the Daily News.

"The actions depicted in this video do not reflect the majority of the hardworking men and women of the CTA. This employee's behavior is unacceptable and in violation of CTA policy and procedures. CTA has terminated the operator."

Smith had been on a call with her children to tell them she had passed job training as an insurance broker when she dropped the phone, her sister, Brandy Martin, told the Tribune.

CTA spokesman Brian Steele told the newspaper that it would have been impossible to stop the train immediately even if the operator had been paying attention, but still called his behavior "unacceptable."

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