A Memphis Police Department cruiser was struck by a train last night in South Memphis. According to a report from WREG, police were responding to a call about a prowler at the railroad yard in the 1700 block of Airways Boulevard. Several suspects were seen fleeing from rail carts around 10 p.m.
An officer parked his squad car directly on the tracks at Castalia Street and East Person Avenue as he pursued a suspect on foot. The patrol car was hit by an oncoming train. The officer attempted to run back and reach his vehicle quickly before the collision occurred, but the train struck the cruiser. One of the railroad workers claims the officer had accidentally locked his keys inside the car, which may have prevented a timely retrieval.
The collision caused significant damage to the police vehicle, pushing it approximately 30 yards from the tracks. The impact left the cruiser with substantial damage to the passenger side door, smashed windows, and the airbag deployed. Action News 5 captured footage of the aftermath as crews worked on moving the damaged squad car off the tracks.
There were no reported injuries from the incident, neither to the officers involved nor to the suspects. WREG noted uncertainty regarding whether the suspects were captured following the crash. This incident marks one of many involving MPD vehicles this year, with the department having been at fault in 45 of 124 crashes so far. The financial implications are not insignificant; during MPD's 2025 fiscal year budget proposal, only $5.2 million of the $307 million suggested was earmarked for the repair of wrecked police cars, a fact pointed out by FOX13 Memphis.
As the city council discusses budget allocations, the string of MPD cruisers in crashes becomes a notable talking point. Memphis City Council member Chase Carlisle expressed his perspective on the matter, stating, "Memphis is not known to have the best drivers, and a lot of our recruits are coming out of the Memphis school of driving, ok?" He also commented on the possibility of funding additional tactical driving instruction, "If we have to fund an extra few hours for more tactical driving classes, I’m happy to do that too," Carlisle told Action News 5.
