Three people, including a six-year-old boy, lost their lives after an Amtrak train collided with a pickup truck in North Tonawanda, New York on Friday evening, May 17, 2024. Local law enforcement said the accident occurred at 7:56 p.m. near River Road and Felton Street.
The victims were identified as David McMinn, 69, Olive Geldart, 66, hailing from North Tonawanda, and Ra’Mari Geldart, 6, of Buffalo.
The tragic incident unfolded when the Dodge pickup truck they were in became trapped between railroad gates just as a northbound Amtrak train approached. Eyewitness Chrissy Reid recounted that the pickup truck, heading north on River Road in North Tonawanda, attempted a right turn onto Felton Street shortly before 8 p.m. Reid, driving south on River Road towards her home in Kenmore, was stopped at a red light and observed the scene.
According to Reid, a separate incident on Felton Street caused the pickup truck to pause on the railroad tracks. She noted that a North Tonawanda police vehicle was parked near the railroad track swing arm, facing east towards Oliver Street, with a disabled vehicle in front of it and a tow truck facing west towards the Niagara River on the other side of Felton Street.
Reid suggested that the pickup truck might have hesitated on the tracks because it couldn’t pass or was uncertain about proceeding. “They got very close to the emergency vehicle,” Reid observed. ‘Why would anyone stop on the railroad tracks?'”
Despite the severe impact, none of the 21 passengers aboard the train were injured. En route from New York City to Niagara Falls, the train dragged the truck, which was folded around the front of the train, nearly to the next intersection at Ward and River roads.
The North Tonawanda Police and Amtrak are investigating the crash. Chief Keith Glass conveyed the community’s sorrow: “Everyone is hurting. We’re getting counseling for the fire department, police department, and EMTs, and we will get through this together.”
This incident adds to a series of railroad crossing accidents in the United States. In 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration recorded 248 fatalities at railroad crossings, with most victims being in motor vehicles.
The accident in North Tonawanda follows a similar event in April, where a train collided with a pickup truck in Idaho, resulting in four fatalities. In that incident, a Chevrolet Silverado driven along a private road approached a railroad crossing where it was struck by an approaching train according to the Idaho State Police.
Each of the four individuals in the pickup truck, which included a man aged 38, a woman aged 36, and two young individuals, perished at the scene. According to state police, the truck’s driver did not give way at an intersection in Canyon County, Idaho.
These incidents highlight the ongoing concerns about railroad crossing safety across the country.
The investigation into the North Tonawanda crash is ongoing. Police seek to understand why the pickup truck was on the tracks and how it became trapped between the gates.