Gainesville, Georgia pedestrian hit by Norfolk Southern train

On Sunday, July 26, 2026, a 43‑year‑old Gainesville resident, Kenya Jovan Smith, was struck by a northbound Norfolk Southern freight train on railroad tracks at Dorsey Street near Industrial Boulevard, just south of downtown.

Smith was walking in the middle of the tracks when the train’s conductor sounded the horn and slowed the engine. The left outer edge of the train clipped him, causing him to roll down an embankment. He remained alert and conscious, received non‑life‑threatening treatment from Hall County EMS, and was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office conducted an initial investigation, while Norfolk Southern police opened a separate inquiry. Officials have not disclosed why Smith was on the active tracks or the train’s speed at the time of the incident.