Police say alcohol was a factor in train accident

Published 8:50 am Thursday, February 20, 2014

An 18-year-old Niles Township man was listed in critical condition after being hit by a train in Buchanan Township early Wednesday morning.

According to the Michigan State Police in Niles, troopers responded to a report of a male pedestrian being hit by an Amtrak Train at 1:20 a.m. about 500 yards east of Bakertown Road.

Troopers searched the area and located the man, who was seriously injured, next to the train tracks. According to police, the man said he had been in a rollover accident prior to being struck by the train.

With the assistance of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, troopers located the subject’s vehicle in a corn field west of the incident on Galien-Buchanan Road. Authorities say evidence indicates the male subject lost control of his vehicle, leaving the roadway and rolling over several times. The subject walked away from the scene and was later struck by the westbound train.

Alcohol was a factor in both accidents, according to police.

The subject was transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital where he was listed in critical but stable condition and is expected to recover.

Police won’t release the name of the subject until an investigation is complete and the Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office decides whether or not to file criminal charges.