An SUV was sideswiped by an Amtrak train in Fairfax County, Virginia, Tuesday morning after its driver made a wrong turn and found himself on the train tracks, police say.
A photo shows what a close call the driver had.
An 82-year-old Florida man was trying to get to the Amtrak station in Lorton to catch an Auto Train to Florida but turned the wrong way from Gunston Cove Road onto a service road and wound up on the train tracks about 7:15 a.m., Fairfax County police said.
The man continued driving southbound on the tracks when he noticed an Amtrak train heading toward him. He tried to move out of the way but was sideswiped by the train.
No injuries were reported. The SUV had only minor damage.
The man has not been charged.
VRE said trains on the Fredericksburg line were stopped because of the crash. VRE passengers who can access Metro can use it as an alternative. VRE said shuttle buses were put in service.
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Every year, about 2,000 people in the U.S. are killed on train tracks, Amtrak said.
