SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — A man walked away with a minor shoulder injury after a train versus car crash in Otis Orchards Friday evening, according to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.
The crash happened near the intersection of East Trent Avenue and North Harvard Road. The Spokane Valley Fire Department, Liberty Lake Fire, and numerous police jurisdictions responded to the incident.
The driver was on his way to sell his Mercedes van when the incident occurred. His wife was in the car directly behind him and witnessed the event, Washington State troopers told KREM 2's Morgan Trau at the scene.
According to Spokane Valley Fire Spokesperson Julie Happy, one person was in an RV style Mercedes when it was struck by the train. The train stopped and the driver was able to get out of the car themselves, Happy said. The driver crawled out of the exposed window, WSP said.
The driver of the van reportedly drove too far and crossed the barricade, then couldn't drive back to avoid the train. The man in the car was taken to the hospital with a minor shoulder injury and is expected to recover. He was wearing his seat belt, WSP added.
His wife told Trau she was hysterical and couldn't believe what was happening. She said she is just glad he is okay.
A good thing to know, is that railroad arms are motion-activated for this very reason. If anyone is ever in that situation, it is possible to back up off the tracks. The arms of the crossing will raise if motion is detected on either side of them.
This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.