Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Freight Train Collides with Car in Mansfield: Attleboro Driver Distracted by Cellphone

A freight train collided with a vehicle at noon in Mansfield Monday. NECN is reporting that the driver said he was distracted by his cellphone.

UPDATED 2:06 p.m. Dec. 4

The victim has been identified as Walter J. Zuschlag, 61, of 20 Pike Ave. in Attleboro.

UPDATED: 12:31 p.m.: At this time, Mansfield Fire and EMS are reporting that the victim in the vehicle during the collision with freight train at the Cabot industrial park was medflighted to Rhode Island Hospital.

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Mansfield Fire reported earlier today a vehicle struck a freight train on Forbes Boulevard as the train was backing up over a crossing.

According to initial reports, the victim, a male, was trapped inside the vehicle and the jaws of life had to be used. Medflight was called in.

Find out what's happening in Mansfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATED: 4:53 p.m.: NECN had video of the train and the car after the accident. Go to http://www.necn.com/12/03/12/Train-car-collide-in-Mansfield-Mass/landing.html?blockID=809213&feedID=11106

UPDATED 5 p.m.: NECN is reporting that the driver involved in the car was "distracted" by his cellphone. The driver was medflight to Rhode Island Hospital, where he is being described as having "serious but not life-threatening injures."

"It was crossing the road slowly. The car that he hit was blocking the road. They had a flagman out at the end of the train and the gentleman drove right into the train," said Mansfield Lt. Jim Seekell in an interview on NECN.

 

The vehicle was a 2013 Toyota Venza, according to Mansfield Police.


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