Man Killed by Caltrain Identified, Appears to Be Suicide

A man who was struck and killed by a train near the Hayward Park Caltrain station in San Mateo on Monday was identified by the San Mateo County coroner's office Tuesday as Philip James Lerza, of Foster City.

Lerza, 67, was killed when he was hit by northbound train No. 215 at about 7:30 a.m. Monday.

A transit agency spokeswoman said Monday it appears Lerza's death was a suicide. The death remains under investigation, but preliminary information indicates that Lerza had gone onto the tracks intentionally, Caltrain spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew said.

Lerza's Facebook page states that he was a director of engineering at CBS Radio. Dozens of messages of condolence were posted on the page this afternoon, many noting that Lerza was well-liked and respected by his colleagues.

- Bay City News Service