Mission man survives after truck hit by train

A St. Ignatius man was flown to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula on Friday afternoon after his pickup truck was struck by a train in Dixon.

Montana Highway Patrolman Terry Rosenbaum, who was investigating the accident, said the train was traveling southbound “with horns blazing” as 52-year-old Kamille Murray Samuels approached the railroad crossing on Second Street, across from the Dixon Post Office. The train engineer, whose name was not released, said the man stopped his truck on the eastbound tracks, located just a few feet away from the westbound tracks, but as the train got close, he suddenly drove across the train’s path. The incident occurred at 12:18 p.m.

Samuels was flown by Life Flight helicopter to St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, where he was in intensive care as of Saturday evening. Rosenbaum said the man was trapped in his vehicle, but rescuers were able to quickly get him out of the truck without the use of the Jaws of Life.

Samuels was wearing his seatbelt. Before being placed in the helicopter, which landed in a field nearby, the man was in and out of consciousness and was periodically responsive to questions by emergency personnel, Rosenbaum said.

The train, traveling about 45 mph, dragged the 1987 Chevy S10 pickup truck 195 feet. Officials said the truck was struck at the back end. The pickup came to rest on the north side of the tracks just a few feet from the train.

Its canopy was found on the opposite side of the tracks, 78 feet from the impact; one of the rear tires flew some 40 feet away, and the pickup’s bed was still lodged under the front of the train engine 915 feet from the crossing where the train came to a stop.

The Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Rail Link are conducting investigations into the incident. Rosenbaum said that alcohol does not seem to be a factor in the accident, although they planned to take blood samples for testing.

Lynda Frost, spokesperson for Montana Rail Link, could not comment about the investigation. She said she was unaware of any other accidents at that crossing, which has no lights or crossing guard, but does have a railroad warning sign on each side of the tracks.

Several emergency services units responded to the accident within minutes of the crash, including fire and ambulance units from Charlo, St. Ignatius, and Dixon, along with members of the Tribal police, Montana Highway Patrol, and Sanders County Undersheriff Rube Wrightsman and Deputy Brent Nierman.

The train included two engines, a box car of hazardous materials equipment and 19 empty gasoline cars. The train had just off loaded 570,133 gallons of gasoline at Thompson Falls and was on its way back to Missoula for another load.