(Photo: The Enquirer/Keith BieryGolick)
West Chester Township, Ohio police are investigating whether railroad crossing gates worked properly after a train crash sent one man to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.
Cameron Knight and Keith BieryGolick, kbierygolick@enquirer.com
5:48 p.m. EDT August 23, 2016
The man appeared to be seriously injured, according to witnesses at the scene. Township Spokeswoman Barb Wilson said he was driving across the tracks on Ohio 747 north of Port Union Road when the train collided with his vehicle at about 1:30 p.m.
No one else was injured, according to Sgt. Todd Campbell.
The collision ripped off the SUV's front bumper and forced the vehicle down the tracks and off the road toward a creek. Multiple witnesses at the scene said the SUV was already on the railroad before the crossing gates came down. One person said he didn't hear any warning signals either.
West Chester Township police investigate a crash between an SUV and a train on Tuesday. (Photo: The Enquirer/Keith BieryGolick)
Campbell was reluctant to comment on witness statements that crossing gates had not come down.
"We're not sure," he said.
In addition to talking to witnesses, Campbell said police will speak with train officials as well.
The condition of the victim is unknown. His identity has not been released. Ohio 747 was closed for several hours but reopened before 6 p.m.
One man was taken to the hospital after his vehicle was hit by a train and pushed into a wooded area near the road. (Photo: The Enquirer/Keith BieryGolick)
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WEST CHESTER TWP. , OHIO—
West Chester Twp. police are investigating if crossing gates were working correctly after a man was seriously injured when an SUV and a train collided.
Police responded just after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to a 911 call and found a black Infiniti SUV hit broadside and pushed into a nearby tree line by a train on railroad tracks along Ohio 747 between McKenzie Court and Port Union Road.
“We are determining why the car was in the crossing when the train was coming through,” Sgt. Todd Campbell said. “There are crossing gates there and right now that’s part of the investigation, to see and make sure they were functioning correctly or if the car went around them or what the cause of the accident might be.”
One man was critically injured in the crash and was transported to West Chester Hospital.
Campbell said it took the train “awhile” to stop after the collision. He did not know what the train was transporting or the number of cars in the train.
He said he could not recall a previous crash at that crossing. A traffic safety unit was at the scene and was mapping evidence.
Ohio 747 was closed for a few hours between Port Union Road and Union Centre Boulevard while police completed their work.