A Las Vegas woman narrowly escaped injury Saturday morning after her vehicle slid on an icy Highway 44 near Bogard Ranger station and clipped a freight car of a passing BNSF Railroad train while it was crossing the road.
At about 8:47a.m., according to details provided by Susanville California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Bruce Thuelchassaigne, CHP personnel responded to the BNSF railroad grade crossing east of County Road A-21.
62-year-old Lara Hoover of Las Vegas was driving her 2023 Honda Ridgeline eastbound on a snow- and ice-covered Highway 44, while at the same time the BNSF train, consisting of three engines and a line of freight cars was travelling northbound.
“As the Honda approached the crossing, Hoover braked but the Honda began to slide on the slippery road,” explains Thuelchassaigne.
“As the train entered the crossing, the Honda rotated in a clockwise direction so that it was nearly parallel to the train when the left side of the Honda struck the right side of the first freight car.”
The Honda sustained major left rear damage, but no intrusion into the passenger compartment, and Hoover reported no injuries as a result of the crash.
SR-44 was closed for a little under two hours while the vehicle was removed and the train, tracks, and crossing were inspected for safety.
