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PIERCETON - Three people were injured Sunday afternoon when the pickup they were in was struck by a train near the intersection of U.S. 30 and CR 450, west of Pierceton.
A witness to the 12:32 p.m. collision told police that the pickup nearly went over the top of the train after impact.
Most seriously injured was a passenger in the pickup, Lessli Carol Bays, 28, of Claypool, who was airlifted from Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw, to Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne. She was listed in critical condition this morning.
The driver of the pickup, Lester L. "Buck" Bays, 26, of Claypool, suffered internal injuries and was transferred by ground ambulance from KCH to Parkview, where he was listed in stable condition this morning.
Lester and Lessli Bays are husband and wife. Neither was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
Also injured in the accident was the Bays' toddler, Brody Bays, 16 months. Sgt. Chad Hill of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department said the child was spared more serious injury because a child restraint seat served him as a protective shell. He was reportedly treated at KCH and later released.
Investigators of the accident determined the pickup was northbound when he pulled into the path of the westbound CSX train at the CR 450E crossing. The train struck the pickup on its passenger side, flipping the vehicle several hundred feet west of the crossing.
According to a press release, the railroad crossing is marked with preliminary warning signs, crossbucks and a stop sign.
Assisting at the scene of the accident were personnel from Pierceton and Multi-Township emergency medical services, Pierceton Fire Department and Warsaw and Winona Lake police departments.
The accident remains under investigation.
