SAN ANTONIO — An accident on the city’s southwest side landed a young man in the hospital in critical condition after he tried to cross railroad tracks to beat a train. How did he try to do it? With a skateboard.
The sergeant on the scene said the railroad track arms were down and the lights were flashing at the time of the accident, but the man still tried to get across the tracks on his skateboard but didn’t make it in time before the train hit him.
The San Antonio Fire Department and San Antonio Police Department responded to the incident at the corner of South Presa Street and Conrad Street at about 10:20 p.m. Sunday. They said the victim appeared to be in his early 20s, and at last check was transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in critical condition. The conductor of the train saw the man trying to cross the tracks, but was unable to stop in time before striking him. Nobody else was injured in the accident. The sergeant said the man suffered extreme trauma to his leg and head, and that no ID was found near the accident location. Police are working to identify the victim.
Here are some railroad crossing tips to keep in mind to avoid situations like this:
- Never try to cross railroad tracks when the arms are down or if the lights are flashing.
- Get out of your car if it stalls when you are on the tracks.
- Expect a train on the tracks at any time.
- Cross train tracks at a designated crossing only.
- Also, be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the conductor sees you a train moving at 55 mph can take more than a mile to stop once the emergency brakes are applied. That’s the length of 18 football fields.