2 JCPS students killed, 2 hurt after train collision in Buechel
Louisville Metro Police say two people have died while two others were injured after a train and car collided Saturday afternoon at Crawford Avenue in Buechel.
The Jefferson County Coroner has identified the victims as 16-year-old Chita Chuwan and 19-year-old Suk Man Rai. Both were on the passenger side of the vehicle and died from multiple blunt force trauma injuries.Jefferson County Public Schools spokesman Ben Jackey said all passengers in the vehicle were students in the district.
Police say the white Toyota with Rai and Chuwan as passengers was hit by a Norfolk Southern train carrying 400,000 tons and 100 railcars after it disregarded the train signals. The vehicle was dragged a half a mile just underneath the Buechel Bypass.
"Crossing signals going off, they're ringing still and trains blowing the horn and right before it gets to the crossing, you see the car pull up and 'boom' – this loud impact hits right in the center of the car," Logan Bennett, a witness said. "You hear screeching, glass breaking and it was the most devastating thing I've ever seen in my life."
The area is a favorite location for Logan Bennett and Anthony Collman. They say they love trains but are forever scarred by what they saw on what should have been a normal Saturday afternoon.
"I was just – wow, what did I just see," Collmain said. "I just don't understand why people think they can beat a train because it's not going to happen. They just came right over the crossing – either didn't see the train or if they did they thought they could beat it and that's why I just don't understand why people do this."This isn't a heavily traveled road for traffic but there are houses and it does have a curve. Bennett and Collman are in strong support of actual crossing arms at the intersection.
"I think Frankfort needs to take a look at this crossing. I think whoever the representative of this area should be contacted," Collman said. "It could've prevented it but then again as fast as she was going it's hard to say.Pieces of the car were all that remained on the scene but an image like this one, these witnesses will never forget.