[06-26-2022] Contra Costa County, CA – Three People Killed, Four Others Injured in Fatal Train Crash Near Brentwood

According to a California Highway Patrol officer, three people were killed and at least four others were injured after an Amtrak train collided with a car near Brentwood Sunday afternoon, June 26.

According to a BNSF Railway spokesman, the crash occurred at around 1:00 p.m. at a long rural dirt driveway close to the intersection of Orwood Road and Bixler Road in eastern Contra Costa County.

There are no railroad crossing gates, lights, or signals at the private crossing.

According to East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Craig Auzenne, three women who were all over 50 years old passed away.

According to Auzenne, a boy and two men were hospitalized with serious injuries. One other person experienced moderate injuries.

According to Fatima Jimenez, who was present at the outdoor fundraiser for the family of a Brentwood resident who passed away less than a week ago, the horrifying scene took place just 300 feet away.

According to Auzenne, firefighters had already been requested to assist a fainting person at the fundraiser. They arrived to find the aftermath of the wreck after the crash occurred.

When Jimenez arrived, he discovered a bloodied child and two dead women lying on the ground. One man appeared to have avoided serious injury as Jimenez assisted in removing him from the twisted wreckage of the car.

According to Auzenne, a westbound Amtrak train struck the four-door sedan as it was traveling north on the driveway toward the fundraiser. The car veered off the tracks and crashed into an SUV that was parked about 60 feet away.

At least two bodies were discovered hours later on a gravel embankment about 25 feet from the car.

According to Auzenne, none of the five crew members or the 81 passengers on the five-car Amtrak train were hurt in the collision. The train came to a stop a quarter of a mile away from the scene of the collision.

According to a BNSF Railway spokesman, the train line was shut down, and authorities are still looking into the cause.

Fatal Train Accident Statistics

Fortunately, the number of train wrecks has decreased over time, but they can still happen at any time. As an example, the derailment of the Amtrak train in Washington State or the death of a pedestrian earlier this year are just two examples. There are hundreds of train accidents reported each year in the United States. Over 8,000 train accidents were recorded by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in 2021.

There were 2,131 grade crossing accidents involving cars and trains in 2020. 237 people died and 653 were injured while crossing the street in the United States in 2021. Approximately 68% of all highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred in these states in 2021.

Human factors caused more train accidents in 2018 than by track or equipment failures. Train accidents are often attributed to malfunctions in equipment or infrastructure because of the widespread belief that trains run mostly on autopilot.

Public transportation should not put your life at risk. Although cheap transportation options may lead to a lack of enforcement of rules or attention to safety, this is not always the case. Prior to transporting passengers, public transportation drivers should undergo extensive training.

Contra Costa County Train Accident Lawyers

Catastrophic injuries and deaths are the result of high-speed collisions with other vehicles in most train accidents. Healthcare costs and lost wages can put victims and their families at risk of financial ruin.

If you were injured as a result of someone else’s carelessness, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and diminished future earning capacity. Compensation for pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and other intangible losses is another possibility for non-economic damages.

Our Contra Costa County train accident lawyers at Arash Law are here to help you and your family through this difficult time. It’s challenging to deal with the physical and emotional effects of severe injuries.

Our priority is to help you get through this difficult time by answering your questions, educating you on how the law applies to your situation and helping you get a fair settlement.

Call us at (888) 488-1391 or fill out our online intake form to schedule a free case evaluation. Our dedicated train accident lawyers have extensive experience in dealing with insurance companies. Let us protect your legal right to compensation so you can focus on your recovery.