Holland Reporter

This past Saturday, January 11, at approximately 6:20 p.m., officers and firefighters from the Holland Department of Public Safety (HDPS) responded to an incident near 10th Street and Lincoln Avenue. They received a report that a person had been struck by a train.

Upon arrival, first responders found Jennifer Kasunick, a 20-year-old Hope College student, unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts, she was transported to Holland Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Witnesses were interviewed by investigators who also reviewed video footage of the incident. The investigation suggests the incident was accidental. Kasunick, who is blind, was walking westbound on the sidewalk along 10th Street when the train signals activated for an approaching train. She stopped just west of the tracks but seemingly did not realize how close she was to them. She was struck by the passing train.

Kasunick was a resident of Bay Village, Ohio. Authorities have stated that neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have played a role in this tragic accident.