Train hits pickup truck near Union, juvenile driver ‘astoundingly uninjured’

A juvenile driver “astoundingly” escaped injury when a freight train hit his pickup truck near Union Monday evening.

First responders were called at about 5:15 p.m. Monday to the scene at the Olson Road railroad crossing for a train-versus-vehicle collision and found a stopped train and a heavily damaged pickup truck, but the male driver had already managed to free himself and “was astoundingly uninjured,” Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said in a news release.

The driver declined medical treatment other than a brief evaluation by paramedics, and no injuries were reported to the train crew. The eastbound train was cleared from the scene at 6:45 p.m. and the roadway reopened at 7 p.m., the release said.

“This incident is a reminder of the importance of exercising caution when approaching rural railroad crossings, particularly those without gates,” the districts said in the release. “Drivers are urged to look and listen carefully for oncoming trains, obey all posted signage, and proceed only when the tracks are clear.”

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash. The sheriff responded to the crash along with the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts and the Union Fire Protection District.