Kent, Washington – Car-Train Collision at South 212th Street and 77th Avenue South

Kent, Washington (April 22, 2020) – One person died from injuries sustained in a train-car collision at South 212th Street and 77th Avenue South on Wednesday morning. According to an article from KOMO News, the car drove away from the collision but was stopped by police. A female passenger inside the vehicle was seriously injured and unconscious. Medics performed CPR on her, but she was later pronounced dead. The driver has been arrested. Update: According to a news release from the Kent Police Department on April 28, 2020, investigators have determined that the victim’s injuries were inconsistent with the hit and run and that she died from trauma unrelated to the collision, and this incident is now a homicide investigation.

The incident began around 3 a.m., when a car came upon the crossing at South 212th Street and 77th Avenue South. The driver went around the crossing guards and struck the back side of the train, with witnesses reporting that the car stopped after the collision, and then drove away. Officers found the vehicle a short distance away and used a PIT maneuver to get the vehicle to stop. The investigation is still ongoing.

About Train Accidents

We offer our sympathies and compassion for the friends and loved ones of the victim. While train accidents can be deadly, they are among the safest forms of transportation, with a fatality rate much lower than car or motorcycle accidents. Derailments, which can lead to many train-related accidents, are said to be common but are most likely harmless, with trains only causing damage or injuries if the derailment causes the train to crash into a structure or another train. However, while riding the train is relatively safe, a collision with one is likely to be deadly. This is because trains can weigh over millions of pounds. According to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, the average freight train consisting of 100 cars can weigh from 12 million to twenty million pounds – this weight combined with the speed of a train can cause great impact. Additionally, this weight also delays the effect of an emergency brake, which may need distance of over a mile to fully halt a train. Because of this, it is important to always remain alert near railroads.

While trains have many safety features, it is everyone’s responsibility to be safe around tracks. Keeping in mind that trains cannot swerve nor quickly stop, so pedestrians and drivers alike must take care to keep off tracks when a rain is approaching. Never underestimate the speed of an oncoming train, which may look like it’s approaching slowly due to optical illusions. Lastly, one must always watch out for the presence of a second train. By keeping alert and following regulations, we can help avoid train accidents from happening.

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