The MAX Orange line was interrupted and stopped Friday, Dec. 1, 2017 after police found a deceased person on the MAX train tracks. KATU photo

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland police investigators say a man found dead on MAX tracks Friday morning was lying on the tracks before a train operator hit and killed him.

Officers responded to a report of a body found on train tracks at 6:13 a.m. in the area of Southeast 17th Avenue and McLoughlin Boulevard.

After a preliminary investigation, police say the man was lying on the tracks before he was struck by a southbound MAX train operator.

Then, a second MAX train operator came upon the body and called 911.

Police will continue investigating how the man came to be lying on the tracks. They're not sure yet if he was there intentionally or not.



The investigation disrupted the MAX Orange Line Service and Yellow Line Service. The lines resumed service before noon Friday.









The crash impacted traffic the area of Southeast 17th Avenue and McLoughlin Boulevard. It also caused officials to close all northbound lanes of OR-99E, including the median and shoulder.