STEUBEN CO. Ind. (ADAMS) – Three cattle were killed on Tuesday when the truck they were in failed to stop in time at a railroad crossing and collided with a train.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene, located in a rural area east of Hamilton, near the DeKalb County line, around 2:30 p.m. A freight train had come to a stop, and a pickup truck, which had suffered significant damage, was found off the road, separated from the large trailer carrying 43 cattle, according to the sheriff’s office.
The driver, 43-year-old Joshua Potts from Michigan, was operating the truck and livestock trailer near the railroad crossing when he attempted to cross just as the train was approaching. The initial investigation revealed that the truck collided with the train and trailer.
Potts told officers on-site that he didn’t realize the train was coming in time to stop the truck and trailer before reaching the crossing.
Three of the cattle were killed in the accident.
Potts was transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. No other people were hurt, but several train cars were damaged, according to police.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office released the following:
On 11/19/2024 just after 2:30 pm, Steuben County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of CR 700 E near the Steuben/DeKalb County line east of Hamilton in rural Richland Township on a report of a vehicle crash involving a train. Initial reports indicated that a pickup truck pulling a trailer had collided with an eastbound train at the railroad crossing in the 7000 block of South CR 700 E.
When responding deputies and other first reposnders arrived, they located a stopped freight train at the crossing and a heavily damaged pickup truck off of the east side of the roadway and south of the railroad tracks. There was also a large livestock trailer that had detached from the truck located on the north side of the railroad tracks.
Initial crash scene investigation indicated that a red 2013 Chevy Silverado pulling a gray 2008 Eby Livestock trailer driven by 43 year old Joshua Potts of Reading, MI was traveling southbound on CR 700 E approaching a railroad crossing. Potts failed to yield to an eastbound freight train and entered the railroad crossing just as the train was crossing the roadway. The train collided with the truck and trailer causing the trailer to detach.
Potts suffered abrasions and was transported to Cameron Hospital by Steuben County EMS for treatment. No one on the train was injured. The locomotive operated by Indiana Northeastern Railroad Company and several train cars did sustain some damage. Potts indicated that he did not realize the train was coming in time to get the truck and trailer stopped before entering the crossing. The livestock trailer was loaded with 43 head of cattle, 3 of which were lost in the crash.
Seatbelts were in use and the weather and roadway were clear and dry at the time of the crash. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash. Assisting the Sheriff’s Office at the scene were Hamilton Police, Hamilton Fire Department, Steuben County EMS, and representatives from Indiana Northeastern Railroad.
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