Woman Killed Retrieving Dropped Cell Phone: CTA Fires Operator

CHICAGO — A month after a 37-year-old woman was struck and killed after jumping onto CTA Red Line tracks to retrieve her dropped cell phone, the operator of the train has been fired. Video released by the CTA appears to show the train operator repeatedly looking out the window and away from the tracks for more than 10 seconds just before Felon Smith was hit.

Smith was killed June 27 after dropping her cellphone onto the tracks at the 69th and State Street station. Leaked video footage showed her dropping down to the tracks, apparently to try to retrieve her lost phone, and being hit by a train about 20 seconds later.

In the aftermath of her death, her family criticized a security guard who could be seen on the platform but did not physically assist Smith. The CTA told the Chicago Tribune that the guard yelled at Smith to get off the tracks.

Footage released last week by the CTA shows the now-fired operator looking away from the tracks — along with appearing to greet someone — in the seconds before the fatal accident.

The CTA told ABC Chicago it conducted an investigation and found that the operator "violated guidelines regarding train operations, including attention to duty and safe train operations."

View the footage from inside the CTA train cab: