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Mother critically injured by train on son's birthday

Credit: Dietrich Nissen, KREM.com

Mother critically injured by train on son's birthday

by KREM.com

krem.com

Posted on December 1, 2009 at 10:43 AM

Updated Tuesday, Dec 1 at 8:02 PM

OTIS ORCHARDS, Wash. - A train hit a car around 9 a.m. in Otis Orchards, east of Spokane, critically injuring the female driver.

Officers say Maria L. Walsh, 44, had just dropped off her 4-year-old son at school, and was driving in the area of Arden and Wellesley. Officers say today Walsh's son's birthday.

After dropping him off, her vehicle was hit on the passenger side by a train going east near that intersection. Officials say the train was traveling 48 MPH. Officials say they don't know whether Walsh stopped before entering the crossing, or if she was trying to beat the train across the tracks.

The vehicle was thrown from the tracks, and rolled over at least once.

Walsh was airlifted to the hospital.

 

 

 

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Comments: Displaying 1 - 7 of 7

spoklahoma said on December 4, 2009 at 9:22 AM

WHAT ARE YOU , STUPID!?!?!? "You can not tell how fast those trains are coming. I really wish that they would put the flashing guard rails in out in Otis (instead of the stop signs)" OMG!!!!! OK, sinCE you are so DENSE, I will help you!! IF you come to a stop sign, YOU STOP!!! If you then see a TRAIN, and seriously do not know how fast it is going YOU DO NOT MOVE YOUR FRIGGIN CAR, YOU STUPID MORON!!!! Christ on a cracker going down a mountain in a snowsotrm, but that is the most IGNORANT THING I think I've heard all week! Vegas odds area a REALLY stupid thing to trust yr LIFE with, y'all - no offense, vegasman lol. And you know, that 2 minute wait is there to PREVENT PEOPLE FRMO TRYING TO BEAT A TRAIN!

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therealstarlight said on December 2, 2009 at 5:31 PM

I agree with Vegas man. You can not tell how fast those trains are coming. I really wish that they would put the flashing guard rails in out in Otis (instead of the stop signs) and on the stateline and maybe take the speed down a bit out there too. There are more people that live out that way now and it is time! But, the phase "better safe than sorry" still stands. Sorry to the family. I hope that she recovers fully.

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vegasman said on December 2, 2009 at 7:11 AM

This is sad, but goes to show what happens when you don't have your head in the game while driving. The speed of a very large vehicle like a train can be deceiving. It's sheer size makes it look like it's going a lot slower then it is. I used to watch huge C-5 transport planes take off and land. It looked like they were only flying at 20 miles per hour, while flying practially over my head, but you know it had to be much faster than that. There is a railroad crossing where I live. I get stuck waiting for trains to pass there a lot. Just for the heck of it, I sometmes time my wait with my watch. Average time from crossing arms down to train passing by, 2 minutes.

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hope360 said on December 1, 2009 at 10:15 PM

I pray for this famiily that there mother recovers from this. I work for the railroad and was on duty waiting for a my train to arrive. I heard the call from the crew to the dispatch and my heart just sunk. I could hear it in the crews vioce that they were upset. All of use that work for the railroads here in spokane are one big family. We sometime spend more time away from home then home so we are close. I've had many close calls at crossings and it is hard to explain the feeling of seeing a vehilce coming and you know there is nothing you can do. I just ask that who ever reads this take a moment the next time you come to a crossing to stop and look then look again, it may safe your life and your families. My family and my brothers here at the railroad are praying for her and her family.

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fivetools34 said on December 1, 2009 at 4:43 PM

I do wish this lady and her family the best, but why do the headlines always make it out that the train is at fault. Its not like we can steer to avoid the little car that did not see the big train that was blowing a horn frantically. I see people try to beat a train just cause they think it is going to be a long wait. This train was 1 motor long. Do you think that ten minutes of your time is worth your life or the lifes of your loved ones. Having hit a car with kids in it I can't tell you the relief I felt getting back there and finding everyone was ok. So when you cross the tracks think twice before racing that big train cause it tends to win but we all lose.

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spoklahoma said on December 1, 2009 at 3:18 PM

ditto, Jazzy nuff said

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jazzy said on December 1, 2009 at 3:00 PM

I hope and pray that this woman is okay. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and to all of the railroad families involved in this accident. Whether she was trying to beat the train or just didn't notice it (that does happen) it truly does not matter, what matters is that with the grace of God she will pull through to be with her family. Trains can't stop on a "dime" and the trauma for the train personnel is horrendous. God Bless to all involved including the police and the firemen, medics, etc.

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