On Sunday (7/7), at approximately 4:30 p.m., the State Police investigated a car vs. train accident near Brown and Locco Road in the Town of Savannah, Wayne County.
The train originated in New York City, and was on its way west to Rochester after a stop in Syracuse.
Troopers say that an unoccupied passenger vehicle was left on the train tracks and was struck by a westbound Amtrak Train.
The driver of the vehicle, Rachel Walter, age 30, of Lock Street in the Town of Galen told Troopers she hydroplaned on some water and slid onto the tracks.
Mason Steen told 13WHAM the vehicle got stuck after the tires popped when it hydroplaned near the tracks. He says he and his friends thought they’d have time to pull it off the tracks with a four-wheeler – until the train came.
“When you encounter something like this – I never thought I would – I heard about it, seen pictures about it, but I never thought it would decimate a car like that,” Steen said. “I literally looked death in the face today. I saw my life flash before my eyes… horrible.”
Troopers indicated there was no water in the area and the vehicle was travelling down the property, a distance away from the road and apparently got stuck on the tracks while trying to cross over.
State Police say that there were 249 people on board the Amtrak Train, headed to Niagara Falls, travelling at 79 miles per hour when it struck the vehicle. There were no reported injuries.
The 4 individuals, Walter and three passengers, ages 17-18 and 20 years old, abandoned the vehicle were accounted for uninjured.
Amtrak says the train was able to continue to Rochester after a several hour delay. The front of the engine received some damage from the impact.
Facebook posts show this is not the first time Walters and her Jeep have trespassed and taken risks near the railroad tracks.
State Police said that although Walter put the train and her vehicle passengers in danger, they could only charge her with Criminal Trespass in the Third Degree, a Class E Misdemeanor.
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