May 18, 2013
Police say it appears an SUV was trying to beat an Amtrak train late last night, killing one young man.
Rocky Mount police say it happened around 11:45 p.m. at the railroad crossing at Battleboro Avenue and Railroad Street. That is a gated crossing, with double track.
Police say their preliminary investigation shows the rented SUV got caught between the two crossing arms and was struck by the southbound train. Amtrak says the Silver Meteor was en route to Miami with 271 passengers on-board.
Dead is 22-year-old Justin Alston from Rocky Mount. Dallas Ford, Jr. ended up at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville in serious but stable condition, according to police. A third person, Donovon Tillery, was not injured.
Police say no one on the train was hurt and that their investigation into the accident is continuing.
Amtrak says the Silver Meteor was delayed for an hour and 40 minutes because of the accident. While the actual train speed will be part of the investigation, the track speed limit in that area is 79 miles per hour.
Alston was a former student at Nash Community College, according to school officials.
