Man dead in crash involving SUV, Amtrak train

A 61-year-old West Palm man was killed in a crash involving his SUV and an Amtrak train Tuesday morning in West Palm Beach, police said.

The fatal crash occurred on the railroad tracks near Windsor Avenue and 26th Street just after 10 a.m., about 3 miles north of Amtrak's train station.

West Palm Beach police spokesman Mike Jachles said the train was on the tracks at the time of the crash.

Ismael Louis/WPTV

A 1998 Toyota 4Runner, driven by Donald Wallace, stopped on the CSX railroad tracks when it was struck by the Amtrak train, Jachles said.

The northbound Silver Meteor train struck the right rear of the SUV, causing it to rotate through the eastbound travel lanes. Then the SUV went into westbound travel lanes where it struck the northeast warning gate arm and came to rest on its right side on the grass.

Wallace escaped the wreckage and was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, where he later died.

The train was traveling about 35 mph at the time of impact, according to West Palm Beach police investigators.

They also determined the railroad crossing warning gates were operational when they were on the scene.

"It is not known at this time why the SUV stopped on the tracks but the investigation is ongoing, pending the medical examiner's findings," Jachles said in a news release.