SUSSEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A woman is dead after police say she was in a car that was hit by an Amtrak train in Sussex County on Thursday afternoon, according to Virginia State Police.
At approximately 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, the 80 Carolinian traveling from Charlotte to New York was temporarily stopped in Sussex County after it struck a 2023 Nissan Rogue that was on the track, according to Amtrak officials.
According to a Virginia State Police trooper at the scene, a 67-year-old woman driving a 2023 Nissan Rogue was found inside of the car and was pronounced dead at the scene. She was later identified as Arnetta Johnson Lucas of Emporia, A witness reported seeing the woman drive around the crossing arms, which was down as the train approached while blowing its horn.
State Police said the train was traveling northbound at around 70 mph when the train struck the car on the driver’s side, pushing the vehicle about 100 yards from the point of impact.
At the time of the incident, 290 passengers were on the train but none have been reported injured, according to Amtrak.
Amtrak did not say when the crash took place or how long the train was stopped for, but said that the train continued heading north at around 3:45 p.m. Thursday.
Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate this incident.
This is an ongoing story, stay with 8News for updates.
