LAWTEY, Fla. — Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith says drivers should expect "significant delays" after a crash involving a train and log truck happened at U.S. Highway 301 and Lake Street in Lawtey Tuesday morning.
Officials with the Bradford County Sheriff office say the driver of the log truck, a 71 year old man, had stopped for red light, but his trailer was too big, and the back end was left hanging over the tracks.
“When the train started coming, the arms went done, the driver saw what was happening but couldn’t get the truck moved in time, and the train hit the load that was extended over the railroad tracks," Deputy Chief Brad Smith with BCSO, said.
Officials say the crash resulted in a large diesel spill. It took about three hours for crews to clear the area and remove the logs.
No one was injured and the log truck driver walked away from the scene.
Tina Wilkerson was nearly halfway into her shift at this gas station when a noise just across the street drew her outside.
“I heard a big bang. I came outside and my coworker said there’s a bad accident and I looked outside and the truck was sideways," Tina Wilkerson, a clerk at a nearby gas station, said.
Wilkerson says she talked to the truck driver after the accident.
“He told us what had happened and everything and how it was hard to get his seat belt undone, 4 rescuers helped him get out and he wasn’t hurt."
She was amazed he wasn't hurt. "I told him, 'did you have a passenger?' he said no, and I said 'yes you did, you had God,'" Wilkerson, said.
First Coast News reached out to CSX regarding the crash and they released the following statement:
"At approximately 10:34 a.m. today, a CSX train came in contact with a log truck at the Lake Street crossing in Lawtey, FL. There were no reported injuries to the crew of the train or to the driver of the truck. Bradford County responded. The incident is under investigation."
Bradford County Fire Rescue clarifies that FHP is investigating the crash.
