Woman killed when Amtrak train traveling to St. Louis hits SUV s - KMOV.com

BRIGHTON, Ill. (KMOV.com) – A woman was killed when an Amtrak train traveling from Chicago to St. Louis hit a vehicle in Brighton, Illinois Wednesday night.

The woman was driving a 2012 Acura SUV when she lost control and the vehicle got stuck on the tracks around 10 p.m., according to the Illinois State Police Department. After the vehicle got stuck, Amtrak Train 305 crashed into it, killing the woman, identified as 35-year-old Melanie Adams-Swearengen from St. Louis.

“The collision woke me up,” passenger Gary Bolen said. “There was some very violent moving around and vibration sounded like the train derailed but I guess it was just pushing the car. Pushing it along the tracks.”

Forty-four passengers were on the Amtrak train when the collision occurred. One person was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The remaining passengers later boarded a different train and continued on their way to St. Louis, arriving around 5 a.m. Thursday.

Amtrak officials said they are cooperating with the Illinois State Police Department’s investigation.

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