JUST IN: Rider Fell onto Tracks While Walking Between Metro Trains in May

(Updated on 9/22/21) A serious but previously unreported Metro incident in Arlington was revealed during a safety meeting on Tuesday.

The incident on Saturday, May 8 involved a Metro rider who ignored signs and tried to walk between railcars between the Clarendon and Courthouse stations, according to the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, which released details at its meeting this afternoon.

While between the railcars, the rider slipped and fell off the moving train, landing on the tracks, according to the commission. Somewhat miraculously, they were reportedly able to walk to the Clarendon station, avoiding the electrified third rail and passing trains, before getting back on a train and ultimately taking a bus to Tysons.

The commission noted during its meeting that Metro trains have a “stop” sign and the words “Do not open, emergency use only” on the doors between railcars.

Metro only became aware of what happened 11 hours later, around 9 a.m., when a family member of the rider called to report it. ARLnow could not find any tips or social media posts from the time that mentioned the incident.

An incident report from the commission suggests that the victim was the son of a WMATA employee and that he was seriously injured despite being able to make it to Tysons.

“The investigation identified the location where the person had fallen, and found a significant amount of blood in that area of the tunnel,” the report says. “Additional blood traces were found in the platform area where the injured person had been.”

Surveillance video showed the person in the Clarendon station about an hour after falling off the train. He “showed signs of being injured” in subsequent video at the Vienna and Tysons stations.

“The person was observed holding their right arm, did not have shoes on, and appeared in disarray,” the report says. He was later interviewed by Metro Transit Police Police at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where was treated for his injuries.

More from WMSC:

A customer who was walking between two railcars on a moving train using the end-of-car doors slipped and fell off the train.

— Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (@MetrorailSafety) September 21, 2021

Forward-facing video from a following train shows something on the roadway near the third rail just before Clarendon Station. Based on the totality of the evidence, this was most likely the injured person.

— Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (@MetrorailSafety) September 21, 2021

Approximately an hour after falling, the rider walked through the tunnel to the Clarendon Station platform. They waited on the platform, boarded another train to Vienna Station, then took a bus to Tysons Corner Station.

— Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (@MetrorailSafety) September 21, 2021

Metrorail has safety warning signage on end-of-railcar doors stating that the doors are for emergency use only. This includes a stop sign, and the words “Do not open, emergency use only”. pic.twitter.com/6jdMvTjFIn

— Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (@MetrorailSafety) September 21, 2021