(September 6, 2025 – McKenzie, Tennessee)
Two young men were killed in Tennessee near McKenzie on September 6, 2025, at approximately 8:30 am in a collision with a CSX freight train. The collision occurred at the railroad crossing located on Harris Road at the intersection with a CSX train track. The CSX railroad crossing where this collision occurred is not equipped with any active warning devices, such as lights and gates. It is only marked with crossbuck signs.
The CSX train tracks curve on approach to this crossing, making it extremely difficult to see an oncoming train. In addition to the curved tracks, there is heavy vegetation in the northwest and northeast quadrants of the crossing. The vegetation can also obstruct the view of an oncoming southbound freight train.
The young men that were killed in this tragic collision have been identified as Martin R. Perez, 26, and Luke Scott, 18. The two were traveling eastbound on Harris Road in a 2022 Dodge Ram 5500 when the southbound CSX train struck their truck.
CSX railroad submitted records indicate that four trains travel over the crossing daily at speeds up to 49 miles per hour. There has also been one prior collision at this crossing, injuring another motorist.
It is virtually certain that the installation of lights and gates at this crossing would have prevented this tragic loss of life. Studies that were conducted over fifty years ago confirm that lights and gates offer the ability to drastically reduce the number of vehicle/train collisions by as much as 96%.