Just after midnight early this morning (Monday), a vehicle was struck by a train at Richards Road near SR-22 in Prosser, and from the photos, you would think there was a fatality.
Luckily, everyone survived, and all occupants involved were alert and awake when emergency crews arrived. They were transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries.
Looking at the photos of what remains of that car, survival feels like a miracle.
Total Destruction of VW Sedan Struck by Train Near Prosser and SR-22
The photos released by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office show a nighttime scene swarming with paramedics, firefighters and law enforcement. Multiple agencies were working in the dark on a hill near the tracks. The vehicle struck was a black Volkswagen sedan that looks like it rolled down an embankment multiple times, but was only struck by the train.
The car is completely destroyed. Everything from the rear axle forward to the front on the passenger side is completely unrecognizable, crushed, twisted, and looking like it was hit by 10,000 sledgehammer swings.
The entire passenger side, obviously where the train struck, looks like the car was hit by something massive and then tumbled repeatedly.
The only recognizable portion of the vehicle is the very rear and some of the driver’s side, where you can still make out the VW logo and body style.
On the driver’s side, the doors were forced open. The photos are hard to look at knowing people were sitting in there when it happened.
A Crossing With No Lights or Arms
Here is the detail that community members are rightfully raising this morning. The Richards Road railroad crossing near SR-22 in Prosser has no lights and no automated crossing arms. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the investigation is still early and that the cause remains unclear, but the crossing infrastructure at this location is already drawing serious attention.
A community member who was hit at the same intersection in 2005 shared her story in the comments; she did not see the train, does not believe it honked, and credits survival entirely to luck.
She has been raising awareness about this crossing for over 20 years.
Another community member reported that a nearby Grandview railroad crossing was malfunctioning badly the previous day; its warning system activated for over 10 minutes with no train present.
If warning systems in the area are unreliable or absent, how are unfamiliar drivers supposed to drive through these crossings at night safely?
Richards Road near SR-22 also has multiple roads converging in the same area, so I could see how someone could miss it, especially if unfamiliar and at night.
Prayers for everyone involved and for a full recovery for all occupants.
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Gallery Credit: Aj Brewster