LOGAN — A 40-year-old man was killed in a crash after driving in front of a freight train Wednesday afternoon. The accident occurred at 1:20 p.m. near 14300 N. State Road-23 in Cornish.
Cache County Sheriff’s Lt. Doyle Peck said the man was driving a white van along 14300 North where the road crosses the railroad tracks.
“It was at that crossing he was trying to drive across westbound and was struck by the train,” explained Peck.
The train struck the driver side of the van, crushing the cab, and pushing it down the tracks until it came to a stop.
Deputies report the man was the only occupant in the vehicle at the time of the accident. His identity is not being released, pending notification of family.
Paramedics and emergency crews were immediately dispatched to the scene. A medical helicopter was also paged but later cancelled after paramedics determined the man was deceased.
Peck said the intersection does not have warning lights or crossing arms, and deputies are unsure if the man failed to see the train or realize how close it was.
“Preliminary evidence shows the conductor had sounded the train’s horn. We believe there were two vehicles that shot the gap in front of him and so we don’t know at this point exactly why he crossed. Two vehicles crossed the tracks as the train was coming and made it across but he did not.”
The conductor was not injured but the train did sustain some damage in the crash.