Crime & Safety

Police: Train Crashes into Tractor Trailer at Gainesville Railroad Crossing

This is the second time in two months a train has crashed into a vehicle in this area.

Traffic at a busy intersection in Gainesville was brought to halt at the height of rush hour on Wednesday after police said a train struck a tractor-trailer stopped on the tracks.

It happened just after 5 p.m. at a railroad crossing on Lee Highway (Route 29) near Interstate 66 and Route 55.

The crash caused traffic delays for about two hours until the scene was cleared, according to a Facebook post by Prince William County Police.

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No injuries were reported.

This is the second time in two months that a train has crashed into a vehicle stopped on the tracks in this area.

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On Dec. 19, a driver disregarded the signs and roadway markings and stopped on the tracks, Prince William Police Officer Dennis Jensen said in an earlier report. 

The train was unable to stop and struck the rear of the car, according to police reports.

The driver involved in the crash was charged with the incident while two other motorists stopped in the no-stopping zone around the tracks were ticketed, police said.

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