Truck v. Train collision cuts power to hundreds

Emergency personnel responded to a train v. truck collision on Sunday, Dec. 3.

 At approximately 3:56 p.m., Washington County deputies and the Washington County Ambulance District were dispatched to Pringle Road and County Road 70 west of Weiser. 

 Kadin Dart, 24, was driving his 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 truck south on Pringle Road when he failed to yield for an oncoming Union Pacific train traveling east. 

 The truck was catapulted into a power pole on the southside of the tracks on impact, snapping it at its base, which brought down three transmission lines that were left hanging across County Road 70 and cut power to approximately 770 homes on the Weiser Flat. 

 Traffic was blocked in both directions along 70 while the incident was investigated. The scene was cleared around 6:40 p.m.

 Dart did not sustain any reported injuries and was able to exit the vehicle under his own power. 

 He was seen speaking with Sheriff’s deputies following the collision and refused medical treatment from emergency medical technicians upon their arrival, though he was taken to a hospital in Ontario for evaluation, according to Washington County Sheriff Matt Thomas.

 Alcohol and/or drugs were not a factor, according to Thomas who said Dart did not see the train coming and was cited for failure to stop.

 Crews from Idaho Power arrived at the scene at about 4:37 p.m. It is not clear when power was restored.