A high school student in Colorado was killed Tuesday night when her SUV was struck by a train at the same railroad crossing where another teen lost his life nearly a year ago.
Kennedi Ingram, 18, was driving across train tracks in Eaton at 5th Street and Highway 85 just before 6pm when a southbound train slammed into her vehicle, according to Denver 7. She was pronounced dead the scene.
A resident in the area told the outlet that the crash was so loud it sounded like a ‘cannon’.
Kennedi Ingram, 18, was killed Tuesday night when her SUV was hit by a train in Eaton, Colorado
Ingram was crossing the tracks at 5th Street and Highway 85 when the accident occurred
There are no crossing arms or signal lights at the railroad crossing. One resident said he’s witnessed 10 near misses
The railroad crossing where Ingram died doesn’t have a crossing gate or signal lights warning drivers of an approaching train. Instead, there’s a stop sign and crossing sign a few feet from the tracks.
Joshua Throne told Denver 7 that he lives across the street from the tracks and has witnessed 10 near misses.
‘How many more people have to die before they put some sort of traffic device up there besides just a sign,’ he said.
Union Pacific, which operates the train that smashed into Ingram’s car, said they have been working with the Colorado Department of Transportation since September, months after another teen was killed at that exact intersection.
A spokesman for the company told Denver 7 they are in the process of adding safety improvements to the crossing but it’s still in the preliminary engineering stage.
On February 22, 2017 16-year-old Dallas Duran died at the 5th street crossing when an oncoming train hit his car as he was driving across the tracks.
Ingram was a senior at Eaton High School. Her death comes nearly a year to the date after another teen was killed at the 5th Street crossing
16-year-old Dallas Duran died on February 22, 2017 after his car was hit by a train as he was driving across the tracks at the 5th Street
Ingram also played volleyball on her school’s team. Her family has not announced a funeral date yet for the teen
Duran was a sophomore basketball player at Eaton High School, the same school Ingram attended. She was a senior and played volleyball on the school’s state championship team.
Eaton School District Superintendent Randy Miller confirmed Ingram’s death in a letter sent home to parents.
‘It is with a heavy hear that I tell you that Eaton High School lost a member of our family tonight. Our hearts go out to the family of our student,’ he said. ‘I cannot begin to tell you how much we are saddened by this news. Our EHS family will be here for each other tonight and throughout the week, as well as counseling staff, members of our ministerial alliance, and North Range Behavioral Health. These resources will be here to help students, staff, and parents as long as we need.’
A funeral date for Ingram has not been announced, but the family set up a GoFundMe account to help with costs.