Greg Plitt, Jr., originally from Maryland, and a Bravo TV actor and fitness instructor, was killed this past weekend after attempting to outrun a train in order to prove the effectiveness of an energy drink for an energy drink commercial according to news reports on TMZ’s website.

According to TMZ, the Work Out star was working on a commercial for a new energy sports drink from Shadow Beverages and Snacks, whose drinks include beverages called No Fear and Whey Up.

Plitt and his crew were filming along the Metrolink train tracks near Burbank, Calif. when the accident occurred. They did not have permission to shoot on the tracks. Metrolink representatives reported that had the shoot been authorized, a flagger would have been assigned to the shoot, who would have communicated with train engineers and the film crew to avoid accidents.

Metrolink trains are equipped with cameras at the head of the cars, which caught the incident on video. Law enforcement sources reported to TMZ that after reviewing the video, they determined that Plitt was racing down the tracks on foot in front of the train, attempting to outrun it. The train clipped him, and threw him off the tracks. He died at the scene.

The same sources report that multiple energy drink bottles were found near the track, and authorities believe the combination of excessive caffeine and adrenaline may have led Plitt to disregard his own safety.

Authorities believe that Plitt may have been attempting to outrun the train in order to make a play on the Superman trope of being faster than a locomotive. Metrolink trains can travel up to 90 mph, but it is unknown how fast the train which struck Plitt was traveling.

Plitt was a bodybuilding enthusiast, West Point Graduate, and U.S. Army Captain and Ranger. He had appeared in fitness magazines, and worked as a fitness trainer in several Bravo TV shows. While he was in excellent physical shape, his fitness levels were no match for the train.

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and speeds up the brain. In high doses, especially combined with excessive adrenaline and the other ingredients in many energy drinks, it can cause adverse reactions on the human body. News reports have indicated that it is possible that while filming the commercial, Plitt drank too many energy drinks, which could have interfered with his judgment and led to poor decision making.

This tragic accident illustrates again the dangers that energy drinks can pose to both adults and children. Too much caffeine (and the synergistic effect of caffeine with other chemicals in energy drinks), especially combined with untested extracts or chemicals found in these drinks, may have unpredictable effects on your mind and body. Children under age 18 should not drink energy drinks, and anyone with an underlying heart condition should not drink energy drinks.

If you or your loved one have been injured by an energy drink or other highly-caffeinated beverage, the attorneys at Goldberg Finnegan want to help. Our knowledgeable energy drink lawyers can help you recover compensation for your injuries, and will fight to hold the makers of these dangerous products responsible.