CSX train slams into car, driver escapes injury

A driver narrowly escaped death when his car got hit by a fast-moving train in Haverstraw Wednesday evening. Jean Denis, of Englewood, N.J., was behind the wheel of his gold Mercedes when a CSX freight

News 12 Staff

May 28, 2014, 6:54 PM

Updated 3,629 days ago

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CSX train slams into car, driver escapes injury
A driver narrowly escaped death when his car got hit by a fast-moving train in Haverstraw Wednesday evening.
Jean Denis, of Englewood, N.J., was behind the wheel of his gold Mercedes when a CSX freight train slammed into it at the intersection of Short Clove Road and Route 9W. The 66-year-old Denis managed to jumped out of the vehicle moments before the impact.
According to Denis? daughter, Rose Dominique, her father was waiting at the railroad crossing while police were investigating a car accident nearby. She says because the warning signs were not working properly, police told Denis to move forward, not knowing the train was approaching.
"If the cops knew, they wouldn't put him in the line of danger," Dominique says. "I'm not saying it's the cops? fault."
However, Haverstraw Police Lt. Martin Lund says the warning signals were in service and officers could clearly see the train in the distance. He says officers were telling Denis to back up, but he kept inching forward.
This is the latest in a string of incidents involving vehicles being hit by trains at the Short Clove Road intersection. The State Department of Transportation is in the process of creating two new flyover bridges that would eliminate the need for traffic to use the dangerous crossing.


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