A pickup was struck by a train locomotive in downtown Durango on Monday after the driver accidentally rolled onto the tracks.
Durango Police Department Cmdr. Devin Conroy said the driver, a La Plata County man, was distracted as he drove onto the train tracks at Eighth Street and Narrow Gauge Avenue, near the post office.
The locomotive struck the passenger side of the man’s truck, damaging its front axle and bumper. The train was not damaged but had to come to a complete stop.
“The driver basically admitted to the officer, ‘I was distracted, I wasn't paying attention, and I drove in front of the train,’” Conroy said.
The driver received a citation for careless driving, and his vehicle was towed due to damage to the wheel assembly, Conroy said.
The best way to avoid such accidents, Conroy said, is to pay attention and make complete stops at railway crossings.
“When you’re driving, focus on driving,” Conroy said. “If your radio needs to be adjusted – or whatever it is that you’re being distracted with – think about that, because taking your eyes off the road for just one moment can create an impact like that.”
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
