Winter Warns Drivers It’s Still Here And Slick Two Accidents Resulting From Icy Conditions Send Five To Hospital

Slick roads sent five people to the hospital Tuesday morning, including a man whose car slid into the side of a fast-moving train.

None of the people were seriously injured, said Idaho State Police.

“How the guy in the train wreck got out of it with minor injuries I don’t know,” said Lt. Doug Camster. “He was very lucky.”

Zane W. Hall, 40, of Rathdrum, was driving his pickup south on Beck Road near Hauser about 6 a.m. Tuesday. It is an area where several fatal train-car accidents have occurred.

“The roadway was icy at the time and it was just starting to get daylight,” said Cpl. Jerry Oden.

Hall tried to stop as he approached the stop sign where the railroad tracks cross the road.

But his truck began sliding toward a Burlington Northern train chugging down the tracks at about 59 mph, Oden said.

The front of the pickup hit the first engine, spinning the truck around. The back of the pickup then smacked the second engine.

The truck continued to spin, hit the railroad crossing sign and flipped onto its side, Oden said.

Extrication equipment was used to remove the top of the pickup so rescue workers could pull Hall out of the mangled vehicle, Oden said.

Hall was taken to Kootenai Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries and released.

Oden said Hall will be cited for inattentive driving for driving too fast for the road conditions.

In another accident Tuesday morning, a three-car wreck sent four young adults to KMC.

Donald W. Avery, 20, of Post Falls, was driving his pickup south on state Highway 41 with Christina Norton, 16, of Post Falls, in the passenger seat. Avery lost control of the vehicle on the icy road and crossed the center line into northbound traffic, according to an ISP report.

Avery first struck a pickup driven by Jeffrey Farnsworth, 26, of Careywood, and then careened head-on into a car driven by Michael Siegford, 18, of Post Falls, according to the ISP report.

Avery, Norton, Siegford and Margaret Wheeler, 17, of Rathdrum - a passenger in Siegford’s car - were taken to KMC.

All had been wearing seat belts and were treated for minor injuries and released.

Avery was cited for failing to stay in his lane.

, DataTimes