(The Toledo Blade published the following story on its website on January 21.)
TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo man suffered head injuries yesterday when his car crashed into a train blocking New York Avenue near Joseph Street, Toledo police said.
Gary W. Pratt, 23, of Eleanor Avenue, was in serious condition last night in St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. Mr. Pratt was driving on New York on his way to work. He told authorities he was tired and didn’t notice the parked Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad train when his car crashed into the side of one of its cars at 7:05 a.m., police said.
The front of his car went under the train. Mr. Pratt got out of his car, walked around, and was assisted by a passing motorist until emergency personnel arrived. Police Sgt. Richard Murphy said the train pulled away while emergency crews were on the scene and dragged the car down the tracks. The train stopped about a mile away at the Lange Yard parallel to I-75 in North Toledo.
Roger W. Kropka, 36, of Brewster, Ohio, the train engineer whom police interviewed, said the train was stopped on the Canadian National tracks for 10 to 15 minutes, blocking New York. He told police he didn’t know the crash occurred. Mr. Pratt was cited for inattention to operation and an offense related to the license plates on his car.