A Pick-up/Train Collision East Of Williston Kills 2 Teenagers
Two Williston teenage boys were killed when an Amtrak train collided with a passenger vehicle near Springbrook, northeast of Williston, on Monday night. According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, the collision occurred around 8:17 p.m. when a 2004 Silver Dodge Ram 1500 traveling east on 57th Street NW approached a marked railroad crossing with no arms and failed to yield to the Amtrak train.
According to the press release, the train collided with the Dodge, pushing it down the train tracks for a short distance before pushing it off the tracks.
The two victims were passengers, a 15-year-old who died at the scene and a 17-year-old who died at CHI St. Alexius Health-Williston Medical Center. The driver, a 17-year-old male, was the third occupant and was in critical condition at Minot Trinity Hospital.
According to the Highway Patrol, none of the vehicle's occupants were wearing seatbelts. There were no reported injuries on the train. The North Dakota Highway Patrol is still investigating the collision. Three ambulances were dispatched to the scene by the Williston Fire Department. Williston Rural Fire Department was called in for fire/rescue. Williams County/Williston Emergency Management, the Williams County Sheriff's Office, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol also responded to the scene.
The train was the Amtrak Empire Builder, which had just left the Williston station. The Empire Builder connects Seattle and Chicago.