A University of Colorado student who was attending the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival over the weekend was struck and killed by a train near the site of the mammoth music festival in Indio, Calif., officials said Monday.
Jannik Andersen, 23, was hit by a train in the 45000 block of Pacific St. in Indio at 3:05 a.m. Saturday, according to the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. He was declared dead at 3:42 a.m.
That location is about 4 miles northeast of the site of the music festival, which ran from Friday to Sunday and will be repeated this weekend.
Several of Andersen’s friends confirmed Monday that he had traveled to California to attend the Coachella festival.
Zac Hoffman, a friend in Boulder, described Andersen as the “happiest dude in the world.”
Cody Cooper, another Boulder friend, called Andersen “the most genuine and energetic dude, no matter the situation.”
“If he was there, it was a good time,” Cooper said. “The second you meet the kid, he’s going to be one of the best kids you meet and he’ll always be there for you and make you feel welcome.”
Boulder campus spokesman Ryan Huff confirmed that Andersen was a non-degree seeking Continuing Education student at CU.
Andersen was from San Diego, according to the Riverside coroner.
Police in Indio said the Union Pacific Railroad Police are conducting the investigation into Andersen’s death.
Sgt. Deborah Gray, of the Riverside coroner’s office, said it was too soon to tell whether drugs or alcohol played a role in Andersen’s death.
This year’s Coachella festival was expected to draw around 90,000 music fans to the California desert over the course of each of the event’s two weekends.
This year’s lineup featured AC/DC, Jack White, Drake, Steely Dan, Tame Impala, Florence and the Machine, David Guetta, St. Vincent, alt-J and many more.
Andersen’s friends said he had attended Coachella previously, and that he was particularly excited to see AC/DC and Mac DeMarco this year.
“He had the wildest and strangest taste in music, but they were always great tunes,” Cooper said.
On Monday, Andersen’s friends were researching flights in order to attend his funeral in San Diego later this week. Hoffman said he was aware of friends planning to travel from around the world, including Australia and Europe.
“That kid could be best friends with 100 people,” said Patrick Ciri, who was Andersen’s roommate and a friend since high school. “I guarantee he’s changed everyone’s life he’s met.”