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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Two Killed When Train Hits Pickup

Associated Press

An Amtrak passenger train collided with a pickup truck at a railroad crossing Monday, killing a teenager and her 6-month-old son.

Monica Ortiz-Navarro, 16, and the baby, Antonio, were thrown from the rear of the pickup, which was covered by a canopy.

The train was traveling 65 mph when it collided with the truck, striking the driver’s side in front of the cab and hurling the vehicle 50 feet, Chelan County Sheriff Dan Breda said.

The teenage victim’s father, mother and brother were injured in the collision, which occurred shortly before 5 a.m.

Ruben Ortiz-Navarro, 43, and his wife, Maria, 40, were in serious condition Monday afternoon at Central Washington Hospital, spokeswoman Kathy Botchek said. He suffered deep chest bruises, closed head injuries, a broken ankle and a collapsed lung. She sustained deep chest bruises, head injuries, a broken ankle and multiple rib fractures.

Their 6-year-old son, Jose Ortiz-Navarro, was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he remained in critical condition Monday afternoon with head, neck, chest and abdominal injuries, hospital spokesman Larry Zalin said.

The victims were apparently on their way to work when the collision occurred on the Alcoa-Malaga Highway, Breda said. There is a stop sign at the crossing but no electronic signal.

Sheriff’s deputies and the Washington State Patrol were investigating the collision.