Three people were killed Monday night when a van carrying four people was struck by a Norfolk Southern freight train in Stuarts Draft, Virginia.
The 15-passenger van was struck on the driver’s side shortly after 8 p.m., Virginia State Police Sgt. C.J. Aikens said, according to WHSV-TV.
Abner Comete, 48, of Boynton Beach, Florida, Jacner Comete, 44, of Lauderhill, Florida., and Wilda Comete, 38, of Lithia Springs, Georgia were all killed. Police said Abner Comete was the driver.
All three people who died were ejected from the van, which rolled over on its side after the impact.
One woman — Ronide Louis of Lithia Springs, Georgia – suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.
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The crash took place where a private road met the tracks.
Witnesses they just heard the train toot their horn,” Aiken said, according to WVIR-TV. “They looked up they just saw the impact.”
Aiken said the four victims of the crash were leaving a farm that is having solar panels installed.
“It’s a pretty big solar panel farm,” Aikens said, according to the News Leader.
Aikens said the speed limit for trains in the area of the crash is 50 mph and that the train was below the speed limit at the time of the incident.
Aikens said the crossing has stop assigns, but no gates. The investigation into the accident is continuing.
The Norfolk Southern freight train was made up of about 30 cars, Aikens said.
The federal Department of Transportation said nationally, 29 people were killed at private crossings in 2023.
Rosalyn Floyd, a spokesperson for the Federal Railroad Administration, said racing a train to a crossing is a recipe for disaster.
“We say never try to beat a train. If you see a train coming, come to a complete stop,” Floyd said. “A train has the right of way, even for emergency vehicles.”
Floyd said a train going 55 mph might seem slow, but cannot stop on a dime.
“It takes it up to a mile to come to a complete stop,” she said.
