Train smashes car at railroad crossing — killing 12-year-old, California officials say

A 12-year-old boy died after he was hit by a freight train at a railroad intersection, according to California officials.

The boy was pronounced dead at the scene in Oakley on Wednesday and the driver of the car, a 19-year-old woman, was taken to John Muir Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, KRON4 reported.

Authorities said at least one other vehicle was hit after the car was flung aside by a train, but people in the other car weren’t hurt, according to the station.

A witness told KPIX that it looked like the car was trying to beat the train, going over the tracks as the gates went down, but got hit in the rear end.

“The train went through and then all of a sudden I just heard a big crunch and I looked over and the car flew off the road and then the tires were going and there was debris hitting my truck — and I called 911,” she said. “It was sickening. Just scary.”

The boy was a student at Delta Vista Middle school, KGO reported.

“We never want to see anyone from our school die,” said Jamier Peters, a classmate of the boy, according to the station. “It is just devastating. We are definitely going to do a chant for him at school. We lost a good kid today.”

East Contra Costa Fire District Chief Ross Macumber told KNTV that it was the third time in 2021 that authorities responded to a crash involving a car and a train.

“If the crossing arms are down, don’t ever try and beat a train,” he said. “They are down for a reason. The trains come through at a high rate of speed and they don’t stop for a long time. Never try and beat a train.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Train smashes car at railroad crossing — killing 12-year-old, California officials say."