Driver "astoundingly uninjured" when pickup truck hits freight train in McHenry County, Illinois - CBS Chicago

By Adam Harrington

November 4, 2024 / 8:18 PM CST / CBS Chicago

UNION, Ill. (CBS) -- A freight train hit a pickup truck in McHenry County Monday evening, leaving the truck smashed but causing no injuries.

The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts, Union Fire Protection District, and McHenry County Sheriff's office were called at 5:13 p.m. for the crash at the Olson Road crossing near Union.

Firefighters at the scene saw a stopped freight train and a heavily-damaged pickup truck near the crossing. The driver, described as a "juvenile male," had freed himself from the pickup truck before crews got there and was "astoundingly uninjured," according to the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts.

The young driver declined medical treatment after being evaluated by paramedics. The train crew also reported no injuries.

The eastbound train was cleared away by 6:45 p.m., and the roadway was cleared by 7 p.m., the fire protection district said.

The McHenry County Sheriff's office is investigating.

Adam Harrington is a web producer at CBS Chicago, where he first arrived in January 2006.

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