Bad to worse: Train clips mirror; driver opens, loses door

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — After a train clipped a side mirror off a car Monday, the driver lost his whole door when he pulled up to another intersection and opened it to tell the crew, police in southwest Louisiana said.

Nobody was hurt, and 64-year-old Frank Scalisi Jr. of Lake Charles was not ticketed after the incident about 10:40 a.m., Lake Charles police Cpl. Shaun Touchet (TOO-shet) said.

Touchet said Scalisi was in a left turn lane along the tracks and saw the train approaching from behind but misjudged the distance and didn’t try to move his 2016 Volvo V60.

Scalisi then drove two blocks to another intersection, where he stopped and opened the door to try to stop the train and notify the crew.

“He was a bit flustered after his vehicle being hit by a train,” Touchet said.

The train took off the door and damaged the car’s front quarter-panel, he said.

“At this point, the Engineer observed the collision and the train was stopped blocking the intersection,” a police news release said.

Scalisi, who could not be reached for comment, was extremely lucky, Touchet said in a phone interview.

According to the Kelley Blue Book site, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 2016 V60 starts just under $37,000 and can range up to more than $55,000.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.