A 71-year-old Middletown man is dead after his pickup truck collided with an eastbound Norfolk Southern train in Lemoyne Borough, dragging the vehicle roughly 100 yards down the tracks. The crash happened around 10 a.m. Tuesday near South Seventh Street, and the driver, the truck's only occupant, was rushed to a hospital where he later died.
West Shore Regional Police were dispatched to the area of South Seventh Street and Herman Avenue around 10 a.m. Tuesday for what was initially reported as a motor vehicle crash involving a train, according to a statement posted by the department on Crimewatch. Officers arrived to find a single vehicle that had been struck by the train, the department said. The truck's sole occupant, an adult male, was transported to a hospital and later pronounced deceased, per the same account.
The Cumberland County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Julian Gutierrez, 71, of Middletown, according to abc27. That outlet reported he was the only person in the truck. WGAL had initially reported that the occupant's identity had not been released to the public, before the coroner's identification became known.
How the Collision Unfolded
The vehicle involved was a Toyota Tacoma pickup, which collided with the eastbound Norfolk Southern train on the tracks near South Seventh Street and Ayers Avenue, as reported by pennlive.com. The train dragged the pickup truck about 100 yards along the tracks after impact. Norfolk Southern reported that no injuries occurred among the train crew.
Police said the railroad crossing where the collision happened reportedly has no gates or flashing lights to warn motorists of an approaching train. West Shore Regional Police also noted that another crash occurred at the same crossing in February 2019, though that earlier incident caused no injuries, the same report states.
Investigation Continues, Police Seek Tips
West Shore Regional Police said the fatal collision remains under investigation. The department asked anyone with information about the crash to call 717-238-9676, and said no further details would be released at that time.
