Virginia State Police investigating Fauquier County crash involving train

Virginia State Police Trooper T.D. Greene is investigating two separate crashes that occurred at a railroad crossing in the Delaplane community of Fauquier County. The crashes occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday (July 18).

A Hyundai Tiburon was traveling south on Winchester Road and approaching the railroad crossing near the intersection of Rokeby Road. The crossing’s safety arm began lowering and warning lights were activated to indicate a train was coming. Witnesses say that as the Hyundai began stopping prior to the tracks, it was rear-ended by a Toyota pickup truck. The impact of the crash pushed the Hyundai across the railroad tracks to the other side, but the pickup ended up on the tracks and became disabled.

With the train approaching, the Toyota’s 58-year-old female driver and her three juvenile passengers – a 14-year-old male, 12-year-old male and 8-year-old female – safely escaped the pickup truck on the tracks. But the train was not able to avoid striking the pickup truck. When it hit the pickup, the pickup truck was shoved off the tracks and struck the 58-year-old female.

The woman was transported to Winchester Medical Center for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The children were transported to Fauquier Health Hospital to be checked out. The 8-year-old was treated for a minor injury.

The 24-year-old male driver of the Hyundai was not injured.

The train conductor was not injured. The Norfolk-Southern train remained on the tracks.

Charges are pending as the investigation remains ongoing.