Truck Accidents 360 Newswire

WHITEWATER, KS – A semi trailer truck driver died Tuesday, August 10, after he collided with a train at an intersection of the railroad tracks and a Kansas highway. The deadly truck accident occurred on Kansas Highway 196 in the city of Whitewater near the border between Harvey and Butler counties. The accident area is northwest of the Wichita metro region in the south section of the state, about 192 miles southwest of Kansas City, Missouri and about 150 miles north of Enid, Oklahoma.

Shortly before 1:45 p.m. Tuesday afternoon 80 year old truck driver Herbert Entz of Whitewater, Kansas was driving a semi trailer truck east on Kansas Highway 196 near the border between Harvey and Butler counties. The trailer of the semi truck was loaded with a cargo of corn.

At the same time a Union Pacific freight train was headed south on the railroad tracks traveling through the region. The train cars were carrying a variety of freight however there were no hazardous materials on board the train.

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When the truck driver reached the juncture of Kansas 196 and railroad tracks the Union Pacific train was also approaching the intersection. According to several witnesses the crossing gates were down at the juncture, blocking the path of the highway, and the warning lights were flashing.

When the driver of the semi truck, Mr. Entz, reached the crossing gates he apparently decided to attempt to cross the tracks ahead of the train. According to the Harvey County Sheriff several witnesses claim they saw the driver take the semi trailer truck around the crossing gates and onto the tracks, directly into the path of the Union Pacific train.

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The conductor of the train said that he saw the trailer truck on the railroad tracks and applied the brakes in an attempt to avoid a collision. However there just was not enough time or space and the Union Pacific train slammed into the front cab section of the semi trailer.

The impact of the truck accident inflicted fatal injuries to the truck driver and it is believed he died on impact. No one on the Union Pacific train was injured in the collision.

The train pushed the semi a short distance after the truck accident but was able to remain on the tracks and no cars derailed.

The truck accident severely damaged the semi truck and the load of corn spilled out on the highway and railroad tracks. An undisclosed amount of diesel fuel also spilled from the destroyed trailer truck.

Harvey County Sheriff Department officers shut down a section of Kansas 196 around the truck accident site while authorities conducted a reconstruction. Highway crews worked to remove the cargo of corn from the road and clean up the spilled diesel fuel. Others worked to remove the crushed wreckage of the semi truck off the rail tracks.

Kansas Highway 196 was closed for the rest of the afternoon and the truck accident also shut down the railroad tracks. It is not known how many other trains were affected by the closed tracks. The truck accident scene was cleared by Tuesday evening and the highway lanes and tracks reopened for travel.

While initial findings point to the truck driver being at fault no charges have been made at this time and the truck accident remains under investigation.

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