Amtrak train strikes vehicle

Published 12:41 am Sunday, April 19, 2015

Suffolk Police are investigating an accident involving an Amtrak train that struck an unoccupied vehicle, according to a city press release.

The accident was reported at 10:51 p.m. It happened at the railroad crossing at Kings Fork Road and Archers Mill Road.

The involved vehicle, a Toyota Prius, was unoccupied when the train hit the vehicle as it was stuck on the railroad tracks. The driver, a 55-year-old woman, told police she was backing out of a nearby driveway and turned too widely, causing the vehicle’s wheels to leave the roadway and become stuck on the railroad tracks. She was able to escape the vehicle before the collision.

Email newsletter signup

The Amtrak train was carrying 20 passengers, and there were no injuries reported. The conductor backed the train up to allow the vehicle to be removed from the crossing area. An agent with Norfolk Southern responded to the scene. The crossing arms were operational at the time of the accident, according to the release.

The accident remains under investigation, according to the release.