One dead after Amtrak train collides with truck in Haralson County
Amtrak logo is seen at the Pennsylvania Station in New York City, United States on October 27, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
HARLSON COUNTY, Ga. - Georgia State Patrol has confirmed a train versus vehicle crash on J. Davis Road in Haralson County has left one person dead Monday morning.
Around 11 a.m., police said Amtrak train 19 was traveling from New York to New Orleans when a FedEx box truck obstructing the railway was hit.
The driver of that truck was pronounced dead at the scene by the Haralson County Coroner. There were no reported injuries to the 55 train passengers or crew members.
Investigators looking into the crash determined that the FedEx driver was traveling southbound on J. Davis Road when he failed to stop at a stop sign for the railroad tracks. The train hit the driver's side of the tuck and pushed it back about half a mile before coming to a stop.
Authorities said they will not be releasing the identity of the truck driver as their family has not yet been notified of their death.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have reports that trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the number one cause of rail-related deaths in this country. Railroad crossing incidents are the second.
"These incidents can affect everyone involved—those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews, and our passengers," a spokesperson for Amtrak told FOX 5 Atlanta. "They also serve as critical reminders about the importance of obeying the law and of exercising extreme caution around railroad tracks and crossings."
This investigation is ongoing.