Train vs. car collision sends one to the hospital Tuesday night

Posted By: BriAna Campbell
bcampbell@klkntv.com

Tuesday night, a train traveling westbound near Ashland collided with a Jeep Wrangler.

The Jeep was high-centered on the tracks, unable to avoid impact with the train.

The train blew its whistle to warn the driver a collision would occur, and slammed into the vehicle, dragging it down the tracks.

Only one occupant was in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

"There was one person in the Jeep, he was wearing his seat belt, and he basically saw the train coming and he attempted to get out of the vehicle, pulled his doorknob off of the vehicle trying to exit – couldn’t get out of the vehicle and he actually got dragged with the vehicle," said Trooper Daniel Gutierrez of the Nebraska State Patrol. 

Being high-centered, or stuck with the wheels of your vehicle unable to reach the ground, can happen on raised railroad tracks.

Trooper Gutierrez says if you find yourself in this kind of scary situation, exit the vehicle as quickly as possible.

"If you are stranded on a track the best thing you can do is get out of that vehicle, get away from the vehicle.  The vehicle’s going to get hit, of course, but it’s better for the vehicle to get hit than you to get hit," explained Gutierrez. 

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol helped assist with the accident, along with Greenwood Fire & Rescue.

The vehicle is a total loss.