PRESS RELEASE – The Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a call at 11:05 p.m. on September 2, 2018 from Kansas City Southern Railroad stating that one of their trains just struck a person jogging on the railroad track.

The Newton County officers responded to the Kansan City Southern Railroad tracks just east of County Road 4181 in the Hartburg area of Newton County. The body of Amanda Lynn Burns, 37, from Orange was located approximately 10 feet south of the railroad.

The conductor stated that the train was eastbound at approximately 10:50 p.m. when he spotted a female jogging eastbound on the railroad tracks. He stated that he sounded the horn over and over again with no response from the female jogger. She was struck by the train.

Newton County Sheriff’s Officers, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Deweyville Volunteer Fire Department all assisted in the investigation.

Justice of the Peace Dana Ashmore held the inquest. She has ordered the body taken to the Jefferson County Morgue and ordered an autopsy.