Three Dead, One Injured By CSX Train at Dangerous, Unguarded Kentucky Crossing
(Park City, Kentucky – September 2, 2011)
Three Kentucky residents were killed and a fourth severely injured when the 2000 Dodge pickup truck they were in was struck by a CSX freight train at the dangerous, unguarded crossing of Ray Houchin Road and CSX tracks near Park City, KY Friday evening about 6:40 P.M.
The westbound truck was struck on the driver’s side by the northbound CSX train, impaling the pickup on the locomotive and pushing it a quarter mile down the tracks, where it burst into flames and was engulfed. The crossing is marked only with standard railroad crossbuck signs, and has no electronic protection such as lights, gates or bells.
Driver Jeffrey Cockrill, 42, of Fountain Run, KY, and passengers Stephanie Cockrill, 34, also of Fountain Run, and Samantha Coulter, 28, of Adolphus, KY, were all pronounced dead at the scene by Edmondson County Coroner Michael Alexander. Passenger John Coulter, 31, of Adolphus, was airlifted to The University of Louisville Hospital in undisclosed condition.
