Three die in crash with freight train near Gervais

Charles Gearing, Salem Statesman Journal
Updated ·1 min read
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Three people died Wednesday night when the driver of the car they were in attempted to cross railroad tracks near Gervais and was struck by a Union Pacific freight train.
Three people died Wednesday night when the driver of the car they were in attempted to cross railroad tracks near Gervais and was struck by a Union Pacific freight train.

Three people died Wednesday night when the driver of the car they were in attempted to cross railroad tracks near Gervais and was struck by a Union Pacific freight train, according to the Marion County Sheriff's office.

Sheriff's spokesman Don Parise said the crash occurred at 7 p.m. at the railroad crossing on NE Keene Road.

The deceased have been identified as: Catarino Hernandez Guzman, 31; Francisco Lopez, 33; and Jesus Carrera Avendano, 22. A 26-year-old passenger was flown to an area hospital.

Parise said investigators determined the 2002 Honda driven by Guzman was traveling west on a farm access road when it attempted to cross the railroad tracks. There was no indication of drugs or alcohol involved, he said.

There are stop signs at the tracks, Parise said, but the driver "failed to obey the traffic control device."

Charles Gearing may be reached at cgearing@gannett.com and (708)262-7626.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Three dead in crash with freight train near Gervais, Oregon