At 2:42 p.m., Tuesday (May 24, 2017), Virginia State Police J.D. Cash responded to a crash involving an Amtrak train and utility truck in Augusta County.
A 2009 Dodge Ram utility truck was towing a small backhoe on a trailer when it attempted to cross over the railroad tracks on private property. The truck got stuck on the tracks. A short time later, an eastbound Amtrak train struck the truck. The driver, a 23-year-old male from New Jersey, and his male passenger had already exited the truck before it was struck. The Amtrak had started slowing once the engineer noticed the truck. The train was traveling approximately 50 mph when the collision occurred.
There were no injuries. Once the truck was removed from the tracks, the train continued east. Because this occurred on private property (near Rowe Road), no charges will be placed.