Fargo  (NDHP)   –     The North Dakota Highway Patrol reports, that during the early morning hours of February 8,  a Mazda 3 passenger car became stuck in a snow bank on a railroad crossing on Hwy. 38 about ½ mile south of Page on ND State Hwy. 38.  The Mazda had been traveling south on Hwy. 38 when it became stuck.

At approximately 3:15 am, while the three occupants of the vehicle were attempting to push the vehicle off the railroad crossing, an eastbound Burlington Northern Sante Fe train approached the railroad crossing.  The personnel on the train made an emergency brake application on the train, but the 1 + mile long train was unable to stop.  The train collided with the Mazda, catapulting the Mazda into the railroad right of way east of Hwy. 38.

The three occupants of the vehicle were outside the vehicle at the time of the collision.  They had observed the train approaching and were able to safely move away from the Mazda before it was struck.  All three were uninjured.

Two personnel on the train were also uninjured.  The railroad crossing remained blocked for several hours after the crash while the investigation was conducted.

The occupants of the Mazda were:

  • Jose Noel Lopes-Chavez, 20 YOA, Houston, TX – driver
  • Moises Lopes-Chavez – unknown age – passenger
  • Diego Rubio Rubio – unknown age – passenger