The woman who was driving this truck suffered serious injuries when she was ejected in the collision Wednesday night, July 8, 2015. (Jim Noelker/Staff)
The state patrol is handling the train-truck crash in Middletown.
Breaking News Staff
MIDDLETOWN, OHIO—
UPDATE @ 6:50 p.m. (July 10): Jessica D. Barnes, 24, of Middletown, remained under intensive care this evening at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown.
Barnes was involved in a crash with her pickup and a Norfolk Southern train Wednesday evening.
UPDATE @ 7:17 a.m. (July 9):
A 24-year-old woman charged with OVI following a train-truck accident Wednesday evening is Jessica D. Barnes, 24, of Middletown, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol. She was listed in serious condition at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown.
The crash remains under investigation.
UPDATE @ 11:30 p.m. (July 8):
The 24-year-old woman who suffered serious injuries in the train-truck accident admitted she was intoxicated and will be charged with OVI and failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle for striking the utility pole, said Sgt. Dexter Howard, with the OHP Hamilton post.
She was headed west on Manchester Avenue when she veered right and hit the pole, Howard said. She was in the driver’s seat when the Norfolk Southern train hit the pickup and ejected her. She landed in gravel about 30 feet away, the sergeant said.
She suffered a head injury and possibly a broken arm.
There are flashing lights on the west side of the crossing, flashing lights and bars on the east side, Howard said. The conductor told patrol investigators he sounded the train’s horn and hit the air brakes but couldn’t stop in time. The conductor said the train was moving at 23 mph at the time (train speed is limited to 25 mph in the city, Howard said the conductor told investigators).
According to the conductor, the train hauling automobiles was headed to Bellevue, Ohio, near Sandusky, from Kentucky.
Howard said the conductor told investigators “she was in the driver’s seat. He looked right at her and she just sat in the driver’s seat.”
UPDATE @ 10:50 p.m. (July 8):
A woman driver suffered serious injuries in a train-truck accident that occurred when her pickup became stuck on the tracks and was hit, a trooper with the Ohio Highway Patrol said.
She was ejected when the Norfolk Southern train hit her truck at tracks that cut through Manchester Avenue near North University Boulevard, the trooper said. She has been taken to Atrium Medical Center. Her name and age were not immediately available.
The trooper said that according to the preliminary investigation, the woman was alone and may have been intoxicated. She apparently drove into a utility pole as she was making her way across the tracks, then the truck became stuck. She tried to get out but couldn’t do it before the train hit the truck.
The accident occurred about 10 p.m.
There are lights at the crossing but no arms.
The train is hauling automobiles. No one on the train is believed to have been injured. A Duke Energy crew is said to have been dispatched to check the pole.
Manchester Avenue remains closed until further notice.
FIRST REPORT (July 8)
Law enforcement officers and a fire/rescue crew are on the scene of a train-truck accident in the area of North University Boulevard and Manchester Avenue.
The Ohio Highway Patrol post in Lebanon is handling the investigation and a dispatcher tells us the accident is not believed to be a fatal one.
No other details are available at this point.
The accident reportedly occurred about 10 p.m.
We have a crew on the way. We will update this report as we get information. - See more at: http://www.whio.com