Authorities have identified the pedestrian who was struck and killed by an Amtrak passenger train in Montecito Wednesday as Paul Welterlen, 61, of Santa Barbara.

Welterlen died of his injuries after he was struck by an oncoming northbound train near Butterfly Lane, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover. 

“An investigation into his death has revealed that his death was an apparent suicide,” she said.

Montecito Fire Protection District crews responded to the call along with sheriff’s deputies around 3 p.m. Wednesday, but Welterlen was declared dead at the scene.

“The train conductor observed the pedestrian on the train tracks,” Hoover said Wednesday.

“He sounded the horn and attempted to make an emergency stop but was not able to avoid hitting the pedestrian.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.