JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A driver, a cousin and his pregnant girlfriend survived after the car they were in was cut in half when struck by an Amtrak train Tuesday morning at a crossing in Riverside.
Stacey Peterson Jr., 21, was driving north on Willowbranch Avenue, just off Roosevelt Avenue about 10:30 a.m., when the train came through the crossing, hitting and spinning the car and ripping off the back seat and trunk. Alexandria Mincey, 26. who family members said was six-weeks pregnant, was in the back seat at the time and was thrown out of the car. The third person in the car, Edward Peterson, 35, was also hurt.
All three were taken to UF Health. Jacksonville Fire Rescue originally said their injuries were not life-threatening, and the hospital reported Mincey was in fair condition.
There were no injuries to anyone aboard the train.
The Amtrak Silver Meteor remained stopped in the area while the crash was investigated, but it was pulled back so the intersection was open to traffic. The train began moving again about 2:45 p.m.
Family members of the victims said that crossing arms were not down when the train came through the crossing, and video from a nearby business appears to show the arms up at the time.
Crews from Amtrak and CSX were both on the scene investigating. The track where the collision happened is owned by CSX.
In a statement, a CSX spokeswoman said, "The operation functionality of the crossing arms and the speed of the train are part of the ongoing investigation."
Copyright 2015 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
