2 taken to hospital after train vs. car crash

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn —  The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a train versus car crash.

The THP confirmed two people were inside the car attempting to cross the tracks as the train approached. Investigators received reports of the crash late Wednesday afternoon in Gibson county.

“The dogs went to barking and I heard the train coming and all of a sudden I heard something go boom,” neighbor, Teresa Duren said.

The incident happened on Cades-Atwood Road, near Highway 70-79, right outside of Milan. The driver told investigators he saw the lights and tried to beat the train.

Duren said she could hear the collision from her house. “Train put on his brakes and you could hear the brakes on that train was skidding all the way down yonder,” said Duren.

Several first responders arrived at the scene of the crash around 4:45 p.m.

“Then I heard the ambulance and the fire trucks and I went out the door and I looked down there,” Duren explained. “And that’s when all the lights was all lit up down there and then I said somebody hit, the train hit somebody.”

Duren told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News she saw the car sitting in a ditch, completely damaged, right below the tracks. As crews removed the vehicle you could see windows shattered and doors smashed.

“Everybody needs to stop and look both ways before they cross that crossing down there because it’s really bad,” Duren said.

Troopers said the driver was a teen and the passenger is 23-year-old Michael Jones.

“I hope their alright and I hope neither one of them got hurt real bad because I know that’s really bad right there,” Duren said.

The driver and the passenger were both transported to the hospital, their conditions are unknown at this time.

Troopers say both of the people inside the car were wearing their seat belts.