A family of seven bailed out of their white Dodge Durango as a freight train approached from behind them in Chehalis.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – An out-of-town family that took a wrong turn in the dark tonight in Chehalis found their SUV traveling on railroad tracks as a freight train approached, bailed out and watched the train shove their vehicle more than a block.
Nobody was hurt.
Chehalis Police Department Office Steve Nikander said it was dark, it was rainy and they briefly lost their way.
“Thankfully they all got out,” Nikander said.
It happened about 7:30 p.m. near West Street by the Lewis County Historical Museum.
The mother, father and five children, ages 3 to 23, from Olympia, were westbound on West Street; on their way to ride the Chehalis steam train.
It’s the Polar Express, a holiday ride, said Nickolas Howzeshell, one of the grown sons.
Howzeshell, his wife and their baby were in a second vehicle behind his mother’s Dodge Durango and made the same wrong right-hand turn behind her, he said. He was able to pull his vehicle off the tracks.
“My dad’s like, get ’em out, get ’em out,” Howzeshell said. “I saw the light about a quarter mile away. We saw it happen.”
The northbound freight train was still stopped and blocking several crossings after 8 p.m. while authorities waited for a tow truck to arrive.
Instead of cocoa, singing and riding a steam train with Santa Claus, they stepped into the Ocean Sky restaurant for Chinese food while they waited for officers to collect their information.
“We were running late. We didn’t want to miss the train,” Howzeshell, said. “Instead, we … caught the train.”
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CORRECTION: This news story has been updated to correct the name of the city police department for which Officer Nikander works.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
The crossings in Chehalis are super-dangerous–about 50 trains go through per day, and there is only one gate per side, so it is easy to drive around them. Praise the lord that no one got hurt this time. The city should spend a little money to make the crossings more safe.
Carl…I’m guessing they made the wrong turn and got stuck on the tracks before the train was close enough to engage the crossarms. They’re damn lucky it was a slow-moving frieght train; I live right near those tracks, and the Amtrac flies through here pretty regularly. They’re not from Chehalis, and they got disoriented in the dark and bad weather; it can happen to anybody.
My question is did the driver receive a drug test? Who cares if he had a family with him, people come from all walks of life that use drugs… Prescription drugs are an epidemic
Glad everyone is okay, but how do you go the wrong way at this location? Did they have reverse? The car seemed to have time to back up if they were able to get 5 kids out, and I’m glad they did. I wonder if they should be drivin I know that the rain and it was dark but the railroad crossing lights are very bright and the crossing arms are lighted too. Im still glad they are okay.
So thankful 2 hear everyone is okay