The River LINE operator who died in a crash Monday was a 41-year-old single mother of three, according to an attorney preparing to sue NJ Transit on her family's behalf. And the cause of the fatal accident — a fallen tree on the tracks — was a known hazard in the crash area, the lawyer says.

The operator "lost her life due to the failure of the responsible parties to inspect these tracks and keep them clear," said the attorney for the family.

A New Jersey Transit River Line train operator died after a train struck a downed tree in Mansfield Township, Burlington County.