Truck makes icy slide into train

Two men suffered only minor injuries after their 1997 Ford pickup truck slid into a moving train in Post Falls Tuesday morning.

The men had been strangers just minutes before – one ran out of gas, and the other gave him a lift to a nearby service station as a favor.

Liberty Lake resident Joseph French picked up Tod Rushing, of Spirit Lake, after Rushing had run out of gas on Idaho Road just south of Prairie Avenue.

During the drive back to Rushing’s vehicle, French apparently didn’t see the stop sign on the icy road or the train on the tracks just south of Prairie Avenue until it was too late, Rushing said.

“We were busy talking. … He noticed it late and slammed on his brakes,” Rushing said. “We slammed right into the side of the train and it just spun us off.”

French was cited for driving too fast for conditions.

The collision, which occurred about 10:45 a.m., left Rushing with a head cut.

“I’ve had a pretty exciting life; it’s the least of many things that have happened to me,” Rushing said. “I’m more worried about the driver, because he’s pretty shook up.”

The Union Pacific train was from Spokane. Three men were aboard, but none was hurt.