A freight train struck an unoccupied car at about 11 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Kent. The car’s driver and his passenger had fled the car after it became stuck on the tracks and before the train was in the area.
Kent Police arrested a 21-year-old Burien man for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with the incident, according to an e-mail from Kent Police Lt. Pat Lowery.
No one was injured in the collsion.
The man was driving through downtown eastbound along Smith Street when he made a right turn onto the Burlington Northern tracks and lodged his 1991 Nissan Sentra on the tracks.
Unable to move the car free of the tracks, the man and his passenger, a 24-year-old Seattle man, left the vehicle. Police were called and notified railroad officials about the car on the tracks and asked them to stop rail traffic.
But within a few minutes a northbound train approached the intersection, reportedly unaware of the car on the tracks. The train struck the car, which was a total loss.
The train sustained minimal damage and resumed travel in less than an hour.
Police transported the Burien man to the Kent city jail to be booked for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol.
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