Georgia State Patrol (GSP) has released details of the accident that involved a pickup truck and train Tuesday morning in Lula. The accident occurred at Eighth Street and Railroad Avenue at 7:10 a.m.
According to GSP, a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Christopher Green, 45, of Mt. Airy, was stopped at a railroad crossing at Eighth Street in Lula. The railroad crossing arms were activated and lowered with lights flashing.
A northbound train had cleared the intersection and stopped, causing the crossing arms to remain active and lowered.
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The GSP report states that Green believed that the arms remained lowered due to the close proximity of the stopped northbound train near the intersection. He decided to drive around the crossing arms in an attempt to cross the tracks.
However, as he crossed the tracks, a southbound train struck the vehicle on the passenger side. The truck rotated counterclockwise and landed in the ditch next to the tracks. While the vehicle was rotating, Green’s son, Keller Green, 19, of Mt. Airy was ejected from the rear windshield of the vehicle and landed in the ditch near the truck.
According to Banks County Fire Chief, the ejected passenger was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in critical condition. Another passenger had to be extricated from the vehicle.
Front seat passenger Edgar Alejandro Castro Michel, 47, of Alto and the driver Christopher Green were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with minor injuries, according to Georgia State Patrol.
The accident remains under investigation and charges are pending against Green, according to GSP.
