Whitman Police are investigating after a school minivan was nearly struck by a commuter rail train.
Chief Scott Benton says that at about 5:15 p.m. Monday police received a report of the incident which took place at a railroad crossing on Essex St.
Police obtained a copy of a video which shows the van between the railroad crossing gates, parallel with the train tracks, and what appears to be the last few cars the train passing by, coming within feet of the van.
An initial investigation has determined that the van driver stopped just before the tracks and that one of the gates came down on top of the van. The driver was able to maneuver the van off the tracks but couldn’t get around the gates before the train came.
State law requires school buses to stop completely at all railroad crossings between 15-50 feet away from the train tracks.
One Whitman student was being transported inside the minivan at the time, but there were no injuries.
The driver has been identified by Whitman Police and is cooperating.
The van is owned by North River Collaborative, a Rockland-based educational organization that specializes in assisting children with special needs.
Anyone with information on this incident is being asked to contact Whitman Police at 781-447-1212.
Reach Thousands of Potential Customers on The South Shore and Beyond! Call WATD Today for More Info on Radio and Internet Advertising: (781) 837-1166
