A semitruck collided with a Metrolink train in an agricultural area of Moorpark on Wednesday afternoon, killing the truck driver and sending one of the train passengers to the hospital, authorities said.
Metrolink train 118 struck a truck and trailer at a crossing on private farmland near the intersection of Los Angeles Avenue and Montair Drive at 2:15 p.m., according to a Metrolink spokesperson. The truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and one of the train’s 11 passengers was transported to a local hospital for treatment in unknown condition, the spokesperson said.
One passenger aboard the Metrolink train was taken to a hospital following the collision.
(Ventura County Fire Department)
The truck was severely damaged in the collision. A section of the vehicle was pushed one-third of a mile down the track, said Fire Department spokesperson Andy VanSciver. All five train cars and the engine remained upright on the tracks following the collision.
The cause of the accident is currently unknown. Train crossings on agricultural land in Ventura County are typically marked with stop signs and signs directing drivers to look both ways, said VanSciver.
As a result of the collision, Metrolink service that regularly operates to Ventura East Station was only operating as far as Moorpark. Metrolink on Wednesday afternoon was working to provide alternative transportation and Uber vouchers to affected customers, who can call their customer hotline at (800) 371-5465 for assistance.
