Two men save Delaware woman from collision with freight train

A driver who turned her car onto the railroad tracks near West Main Street and New London Road in Newark, narrowly escaped being in the car when it was hit by a freight train.

Newark Police say Monique Dyton of New Castle was driving near the tracks just after 4 a.m. Thursday when she turned onto the tracks because she was unfamiliar with the intersection.  Her car became stuck on the rails.

That’s when two people passing by, Sean Brown and Clifford Fose, stopped to help.  Police say Dyton was still in the driver’s seat while her passenger, Christina Johnson tried to push the car from the tracks.  As Brown and Fose joined the effort to push the car, the train gates activated, and they heard the sound of an approaching train.  They urged Dyton to get out of the car, but she refused, still trying to move her car.

That’s when Brown and Fose pulled the woman from the car.  A short time later, a CSX freight train slammed into the car and dragged it several hundred feet.

No one was injured.  Police say Dyton was not intoxicated.  The crossing was closed for about two and a half hours while the crash was investigated.  Police say the investigation is still pending, but there have been no charges filed at this time.