February 7, 2012 in City

Elderly man killed at train crossing in Ephrata

 

EPHRATA, Wash. (AP) — The driver of a vehicle was killed in a collision with a train at a gated crossing Tuesday morning in Ephrata.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Gus Melonas (mel-OWN’-us) says officials are investigating how the vehicle ended up on the tracks at a crossing with gates, flashers and bells.

The vehicle was hit about 9 a.m. by a westbound freight train. Melonas says no members of the train crew were injured. There was some damage to the lead locomotive. The accident delayed five other trains on the BNSF line until late morning.

The Grant County sheriff’s office says the driver was a man in his 80s.

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Two comments on this story so far. Add yours!

  • AnalyzeThat on February 07 at 8:02 p.m.

    Much better headline - not blaming the train (which couldn’t prevent it anyway) or the driver.

  • lewis8457 on February 10 at 7:29 a.m.

    I recently heard a friend of our family renewed his drivers license he is 80 years old and they renewed his license for 5 years.

    we have all got stuck behind a elderly person driving 5 mph, when are we too old to drive?

    does the state ever check anything but eye sight?

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