Tuesday, January 5th, 2016
Boy injured in car-train collision
By Jared Mauch
Photo by Aaron Snyder/The Daily Standard
Bystanders survey the scene of a train-car accident on Staeger Road north of state Route 703 on Monday evening. One person was ejected from the car and suffered minor injuries during the accident.
CELINA - A St. Marys child was ejected from a vehicle and suffered minor injuries in a car-train accident on Monday evening on Staeger Road north of state Route 703 in Jefferson Township.
Brandt Grunden, 9, St. Marys, was taken by squad to Joint Township District Memorial Hospital, St. Marys, according to Mercer County Sheriff's Office report. He was not listed as a patient this morning, according to a hospital spokesman.
Grunden was reportedly sitting in the right rear seat of the 2004 Chrysler car involved in the accident and wearing only a lap belt.
Alexander Grunden, 42, of the same address, was reportedly driving the car northbound on Staeger Road at 5:46 p.m. when he failed to see a westbound train driven by Kent Jones, 47, 1756 Fort Recovery-Minster Road, Fort Recovery, and began to cross the tracks. The train struck the car, causing it to spin northbound and come to rest north of the tracks.
The railroad crossing has yield signs and white railroad crossing signs but no crossing arms or flashing lights.
Jones, Alexander Grunden and car occupant Brookelle Grunden, 14, also of the St. Marys address, were wearing lap and shoulder belts and did not claim injuries, according to the sheriff's report.
The car sustained disabling damage and the train, registered to the RJ Corman Railroad and Distribution Center of Celina, sustained minor damage. The train was able to be moved clear of the intersection about 6:30 p.m.
No citations were listed on the report.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office about 5:50 p.m. released a notice warning drivers to avoid the area. A second notice about 8:10 p.m. announced the road had reopened.
