HINESVILLE, Ga. — Two people were killed following a May 8 grade crossing wreck here.
Amtrak’s southbound Silver Star struck a lumber truck at 7:20 a.m. May 6 and derailed, officials said. The truck’s driver — Boyd James Van Horn of Richmond Hill, Ga. — was fatally injured in the crash.
“It felt like a really hard bump,” passenger Darren Hinzman told The Associated Press.
“Then I felt a crash. Chairs were falling forward, objects were falling.”
The train’s engineer — Larry Wayne Edenfield of Macclenny, Fla. — died May 9 from injuries he sustained in the wreck. He was a 30-year railroad veteran, serving 17 with Amtrak.
“He was a veteran locomotive engineer with an excellent record,” David L. Gunn, Amtrak’s President and CEO said. “This tragedy touches us all, and we mourn his untimely passing.”
According to Amtrak, 22 passenger and five crew members were injured in the crash.
The train, which was en route from New York to Miami, had 150 passengers and 14 crewmembers aboard at the time of the collision.
The crossing was marked by standard X-shaped railroad warning signs, Amtrak said in a statement. The tracks are owned, operated and maintained by CSX Transportation.
Trains are allowed to travel 79 m.ph. through the area, Amtrak said.
