Person in hospital after Brightline train hits vehicle in Lake Worth Beach
By Taylor Lang
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LAKE WORTH BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — One person is in the hospital after a Brightline train hit a vehicle in Lake Worth Beach.
It happened before 6 a.m. near Railroad Avenue, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said Luis Maniel Paez, from Miami, tried to go around the gates and beat the train as it was nearing the crossing.
Paez was extricated from the vehicle and taken to the hospital, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Paez is in serious condition, deputies said. No one was injured on the Brightline train.
This is the third Brightline crash in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast within the past week.
One person was killed after a vehicle was struck by a train in Palm Beach County Sunday.
A Brightline train struck a vehicle Tuesday morning in Delray Beach after a woman and 3-month-old child escaped. No one was injured, according to Delray Fire.
Brightline held a news conference Wednesday to discuss safety when near train crossings.
Senior Vice President Ben Porritt said people need to cross at designated spots and only when the gates are up. People should be aware to stop when the lights are flashing and gates are lowering, even if they do not see a train at the time.
The company released a video of the crash in order to show the importance of following traffic signs, Porritt said.
Brightline said it invested millions of dollars in railroad safety and mental health awareness.
Multiple crashes from this week happened because people were trying to cross at undesignated spots to beat the trains, according to officials.
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