GDOT worker in salt truck killed in wreck involving train
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - A Georgia Department of Transportation worker was killed in an accident involving a train in Coweta County Thursday morning.
It happened along Ball Street at South Railroad Street in the city of Moreland. According to the Coweta County Sheriff's Office, three GDOT salt trucks were attempting to cross the railroad tracks when one of them was struck. The GDOT employee driving the salt truck that was hit died in the wreck.
A neighbor who lives near the scene told FOX 5 her whole house shook "like a bomb went off" when the train struck the vehicle.
The cause of the wreck is unknown. Authorities at the scene said the victim had been on the job for a long time due to the winter weather, so officials are wondering whether fatigue played a factor.
According to FOX 5's Doug Evans, a "railroad crossing" sign was marked, but no lights or bells were going off at the time of the wreck. Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager said other drivers tried to warn the GDOT driver of the oncoming train, but he didn't respond and was killed.