A shocking video shows the moment an Amtrak train struck an Amazon delivery van in Wisconsin, splitting it in half.
A video obtained by TMZ shows the immediate reaction of driver Alexander Evans after his vehicle was hit in November 2021. The collision happened when he turned onto the tracks of a railroad crossing.
The impact from the oncoming train cut the vehicle entirely in half. Evans appeared to be startled but was luckily not injured. According to the reports, he went to the hospital as a safety precaution but was only sore after the incident.
During an interview with local news station WISN, the father of two described his surroundings after the train slammed into him on his birthday. Photos show the damage to his vehicle, which was partly crushed with packages still inside.
“It just, boom,” he told the outlet in 2021. “Just air and the pressure. I felt the airbags. I didn’t know what to feel, to be honest with you.”
The railroad crossing was on River Valley Road in Ixonia, which is about 42 miles from Milwaukee. According to the report, there were no warning sounds or signals near the crossing that would have given Evans a heads-up before driving over the tracks.
Evans was also caught off guard and didn’t hear the horn due to being deaf in his left ear. Despite this, he eased far enough over the tracks at the last second, avoiding deadly consequences.
Evans called for a better alert or sign for drivers who take that route. Per WKOW, Amtrak confirmed there were no injuries on the train.
“I just tried. I made a look as I was going down the hill to swerve, and I didn’t see anything. He was on my left side,” Evans explained to WISN. “Literally, it was like one long beep, horn from the train, and I put my foot on the gas, kind of like trying. I don’t know how far I’m going to get away from him.”
Atlanta Black Star reached out to Amazon for comment.