CLEAR LAKE – A Clear Lake man escaped injury Thursday morning after his vehicle was struck and dragged by a train.
The Clear Lake Fire Department was dispatched to Buddy Holly Place and US Highway 18 West for a vehicle vs. train collision Thursday, January 04, 2018 at approximately 6:46 AM. The Clear Lake Fire Department responded with 1 Rescue Truck and 1 Ambulance, 5 firefighters and 2 medics.
Upon arrival, the Clear Lake Fire Department reported a dark gray Chevy Avalanche traveling northbound on Buddy Holly Place had collided with an eastbound Canadian Pacific Train hauling ethanol. The Chevy Avalanche collided with the locomotive, dragging it approximately 10-15 yards down the track before coming to rest with a power pole.
The driver of the Chevy Avalanche, 26-year-old Robert Schick of Clear Lake, was not injured.
The accident remains under investigation by the Clear Lake Police Dept and the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
The CLFD was assisted on Scene by the CLPD and Canadian Pacific Railroad.
I saw it all. Schick had the right of way! The train didn’t even stop at the intersection.
I heard through the grapevine he claimed they train should have swerved
What the hell is going on with all the train accidents over the last several months in North Iowa ? Hitting grain semis? Killing people? Hitting empty vehicles on tracks? Are the engineers drunk? No tracks marked safely??? WTH???
Trains can not stop quickly. It can take miles to stop a large train. People just have to avoid them. BTW many rail cars now have reflectors. It can be hard to see a train cars in the dark as cars black or dark color.
How do you miss the BIG RED FLASHING LIGHTS?
How do you miss those orange reflectors as photos show?
That’s going to leave a mark.