Amtrak Crazy Train involved in two accidents inside two hours
Posted by GSDispatch Editor in by Phil Kloster
William Lewis began his Thursday morning allegedly with a series of poor decisions. According to Sgt. Mike Childs of the Lee’s Summit Police Department, shortly after 8:00 AM, the 44 year old Lee’s Summit resident evaded the barricades at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing on Hamblen Road directly in front of the city’s landfill. A southbound Amtrak passenger train struck the rear of the black Chevrolet S-10 truck, separating the bed from the body of the vehicle. The passenger who was presumed to be unbelted was ejected from the vehicle and thrown at least thirty feet down the track. He was quickly transported with serious injuries. He is expected to survive as of the latest update which was sent mid-day.
The truck belonged to Matt Smith of Greenwood and Lewis was driving the vehicle without permission according to a source who is close to Smith. In a later interview with Matt Smith, he confirmed the truck had been stolen from the property of his employer, Constable Sanitation, which is situated adjacent to the railroad crossing. Smith said he and Lewis were on a first-name basis with one another but not necessarily friends. Lewis, whom Smith revealed has been in trouble with the law frequently, was presumably distraught after a breakup with his girlfriend Wednesday night. His former girlfriend is the mother of Constable Sanitation owner, George Constable.
The train was released from the scene of the accident shortly before 10:00 AM and continued southbound towards its ultimate destination of St. Louis. A source disclosed that minutes later it was involved in another accident in Pleasant Hill. Pleasant Hill Police did not have comment on the incident. Cass County directed us to Johnson County Dispatch who inadvertently confirmed the Motor Vehicle / Amtrak collision but indicated they could not comment. Missouri Highway Patrol Troop A investigated the accident and told the Dispatch that the accident occurred at 10:15 AM just east of Centerview, MO. A Johnson County employee was spraying for weeds when he realized too late that his vehicle was situated in the path of the oncoming train. The train clipped the front of the truck but the worker was not occupying the vehicle and was not injured. The exact location of the incident was County Road 401 South near Southwest 100 Road.
More information as it becomes available.
