AULANDER – A man is dead after apparently being hit by a train near an Aulander-area crossing sometime Tuesday morning.

Bertie County Sheriff John Holley reported that his office received a call at approximately 9:30 a.m. Tuesday reporting the incident.

“A person called in and had seen what they thought was a bag of trash on the train tracks,” Sheriff Holley said. “After they investigated it, they found it was a body and called the office.”

The victim was identified by authorities as Gerald Wayne Jenkins, 60.

The incident occurred where the train tracks cross N.C. 11 Business just south of Aulander.

He said at this point nothing would lead him to believe foul play was involved, but an investigation is being conducted.

“At this point, there’s no reason to believe anything, other than it was accidental,” the sheriff said.