A Niles man died Wednesday afternoon after he was struck by a train in Pokagon Township, according to a release from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

According to police, the accident occurred around 1:28 p.m., when John Paul Merritt, 46, failed to yield while walking on the traveled portion of the railroad, about half a mile south of Pokagon Highway, and was struck by a Norfolk Southern train traveling north on the Amtrak rail system.

Merritt was declared dead at the scene due to injuries sustained in the accident

The incident remains under investigation.

Deputies with the sheriff’s office were assisted by officers with the Pokagon Tribal Police and crews with the Pokagon Fire Department, SMCAS Ambulance Service and Amtrak.

Editor’s note: Due to a source error, the original version of this story was published with an incorrect description of the physical location the victim was struck. The above version was corrected Thursday, March 16, 2017. Leader Publications regrets the error.