Fil-Am killed in San Francisco BART train accident

Jeff De la Fuente died from injuries he sustained as a result of a commuter train accident. GOFUNDME

SAN FRANCISCO — A 31-year-old Filipino American man, who was pinned between a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) platform and a BART train Wednesday night, Jan. 4 at San Francisco’s 24th Street station, later died from his injuries, San Francisco’s medical examiner’s office reported.

The victim has been identified as Hayward, California resident Jeff De la Fuente. What appears to be an accident began sometime after 6 p.m. when De la Fuente fell onto the tracks.

He was semi-conscious when rescued by firefighters from the tracks. The rescuers used air bags to push a train car off De la Fuente so they could free him.

According to De la Fuente’s grieving girlfriend, Dorothy Mak, he worked as a mechanic in the Mission District and also drove a cab. He was studying to be a lawyer and was to take his LSAT exam in February.

De la Fuente was born in Berkeley, raised by a single mother and spent part of his life in the Philippines.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help De la Fuente’s family bring his body to the Philippines, where he will be buried. The goal is $25,000 goal.