He drove off the road and abandoned his car – a bit too close to the railroad tracks
A freight train struck a car that apparently had been abandoned along railroad tracks in Haltom City early Monday.
No one was injured in the incident, which occurred about 5:40 a.m. near the intersection of Meacham Boulevard and Old Denton Road.
The man believed to be the driver of the car had been arrested on a public intoxication charge about an hour before the collision, Haltom City spokesman Eric Peters said. Police believe the man, whose identity wasn’t immediately available Monday, ran his car off the road near the tracks and walked away from it — and was subsequently arrested some distance away from the car while on foot.
“It appears the car was parked next to the tracks,” Union Pacific Railroad spokeswoman Raquel Espinoza said in an email. She said the collision occurred as the train approached on the northbound track.
After an initial investigation, the train was able to continue on its journey about 7:40 a.m., she said.
Damage to the car was minor, Peters said.
This story was originally published October 21, 2019 at 1:43 PM.
