Saturday, March 21, 2015

CSX TRAIN KILLS A 9-YEAR OLD BOY IN A COLLISION WITH A CAR DRIVEN BY HIS FATHER IN MORROW COUNTY, OHIO. FATHER SERIOUSLY INJURED. IN RURAL COUNTIES THERE ARE A LOT OF TRAIN TRACKS WITHOUT GATES. PLEASE STOP BEFORE THE TRAIN TRACKS AND ONLY THEN PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION.










MARCH 21, 2015




IBERIA, OHIO



A 9-year-old boy is dead and his father is in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after their vehicle collided with a CSX train Saturday morning in northern Morrow County.



Benjamin Berry, 42, of Galion was transported to Grant Hospital in Columbus. Gage Berry, 9, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol.  Gage was a back seat passenger in the vehicle.



The crash occurred about 8:30 a.m. on County Road 32 about 2 miles north of the village of Iberia, according to Sgt. Jason Murfield of the Mount Gilead post of the Ohio Highway Patrol.




A vehicle traveling southbound and the train was traveling westbound," said Murfield. "The vehicle went across the tracks and was struck by the train."



Murfield described the driver's injuries as "not life-threatening injuries, but serious injuries." By 11 a.m. the scene was secure as the investigation continued.




"We'll probably be here another hour or so collecting evidence," Murfield said.



The train was traveling approximately 36 miles per hour when the collision occurred.



"The conductor and the engineer both seem to be OK, but they're shaken up, of course," Murfield said.



There were no visibility issues, according to the patrol. There are no gates at the crossing.




Murfield said drivers need to be cautious when driving near railroad tracks.



"We tell people to treat a crossing like they would a four-way stop," Murfield said. "You need to come to a stop, take your time and treat the train tracks as a stop sign."




"Our hearts go out to the family. It's tragic especially when a child is involved," he said.



There was minor damage to the left side of the train and "it came to a complete stop" after the crash, Murfield said.



"In rural counties there are a lot of train tracks without gates. Please stop and proceed safely."




The railroad crossing was posted with stop signs and did not have cross bars at the tracks. The train remained on the tracks and there was no loss of its cargo. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor in this crash. The crash remains under investigation by the patrol post, according to the news release.



Source: http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com