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A Claypool woman remains in critical condition this morning and her husband is in fair condition at a Fort Wayne hospital from injuries suffered in a Sunday train-pickup collision.
Lessli Carol Bays, whose 28th birthday is today, suffered internal injuries when the pickup she was riding in was struck by a train near the intersection of U.S. 30 and CR 450E, west of Pierceton.
The impact from the train occurred on the passenger side.
Bays' husband, Lester L. "Buck" Bays, 26, remains in fair condition, also suffering internal injuries.
Lessli Bays was airlifted to Parkview Hospital from Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw, shortly after the 12:32 p.m. Sunday accident. Lester Bays was transferred from KCH to Parkview by ground ambulance.
The couple's child, 16-month-old Brody Bays, was treated for abrasions to his head and later released, police said.
When police interviewed Lester Bays at KCH about the accident, he reportedly didn't recall the crash. He did tell police that he and his family had just left his parents' residence and were northbound on CR 450E approaching the railroad crossing and he was planning to go to U.S. 30.
The engineer of the CSX train said he saw Bays' pickup nearing the railroad crossing and that the vehicle didn't appear to alter its speed before entering the crossing in front of the train. There is a stop sign at the crossing, as well as preliminary warning signs and crossbucks, police said.
According to a Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department report, the train's light was on high beam, its bell was ringing and all four required whistle blasts were sounded. The engineer told police he also activated several more rapid blasts of the train whistle as he approached the intersection.
As soon as the engineer realized there was going to be a collision, the train was placed into emergency braking and came to rest west of the crash scene.
The impact caused the Bays' pickup to, at first, become stuck onto the front of the train before breaking loose and nearly going over the train. It then fell onto the railroad track and flipped over.
The accident remains under investigation.
