Seven injured after truck hits Amtrak train near Suisun

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jul 6, 2008 | by Lisa White

SOLANO COUNTY -- Seven people were injured Sunday evening after a truck ran into an Amtrak train 10 miles east of Suisun, a train official said.

The furniture delivery truck slammed into the dining car of Amtrak Capitol Corridor Train No. 736 where Fry Road crosses the train tracks shortly before 5 p.m., Amtrak spokeswoman Karina Romero said. The train, carrying 220 passengers, was traveling from San Jose to Sacramento. It had two stops left in Davis and Sacramento when the truck hit it.

The collision caused significant damage to the train car, she said.

"Some windows were broken and (the driver) hit right on the door, so that car isn't going to be usable for a while."

Truck driver Anthony Aguas, 22, of Vacaville, told CHP officials that he attempted to break when the lowering arm descended, but skidded and crashed through the barrier and into the train. He suffered only minor cuts and bruises, but his truck was totaled, emergency crews said.

Two Amtrak employees and five passengers were transported to VacaValley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Romero said.

The remaining passengers boarded train No. 738, which was also traveling to Sacramento. Passengers on the damaged train were delayed two-and-a-half hours. Train No. 738 arrived in Sacramento an hour and 40 minutes late.

"Grade crossing accidents are fairly common," Romero said, noting that a car collided with an Amtrak train Thursday between Ventura and Oxnard in Southern California. "Although normally, it's a locomotive involved in the accident and not a car and the middle of the train."

The Vacaville Reporter contributed to this report.