A man was in critical condition after driving through a railroad-crossing gate in Orange and getting struck by a Metrolink train on Thursday night, April 17, police said.
Orange police and firefighters responded just after 7 p.m. to Glassell Street and Taft Avenue, where the train struck a Jeep Cherokee, said Lt. Phil McMullin, a spokesman for the Police Department.
The Jeep driver was traveling south on Orange Olive Road where it merges with Glassell and turned right onto Taft. The gate arms were already down but the driver hit one and drove underneath it before he was struck by the train, McMullin said.
Emergency responders transported the man to a trauma center. No one else was in the SUV.
The Metrolink train stopped about a quarter of a mile from the scene. No injuries had been reported on board, McMullin said.
There were 87 passengers on the train, said Meredith Yeoman, a spokesperson for Metrolink. The train was deemed safe by crew members and was to continue on its route to San Bernardino.
One other Metrolink train, running from Oceanside to San Bernardino, was diverted through Fullerton but made all of its stops aside from the Anaheim Canyon station, Yeoman said.
Crews found damage to the arm gate, which will be assessed and repaired once the Jeep is removed from the scene, Yeoman said.
Police were investigating the collision and will consider drugs or alcohol as a potential factor, the lieutenant said.