A Burris Laboratory School graduate was killed Sunday morning when his car was struck by a moving train as he attempted to drive through a railroad crossing.
Delaware County Coroner Scott Hahn identified the victim as Austin Matthew Quinn, 18.
Quinn had a Ball State student identification card and may have been a potential incoming freshman.
The collision took place around 9 a.m. at the tracks on Country Club Road, just south of Ind. 32.
Quinn was traveling southbound on Country Club Road when he attempted to drive his car around the crossing gates, Johnson said.
The eastbound train then struck the vehicle, causing it to spin and hit the south gate before running into a fence rail, trees and brush about 160 feet away.
Johnson said the sheriff's office believed Quinn may have been on his way to the Delaware Country Club where Quinn may have worked as a lifeguard.
CSX employee Dwayne Stewart said he and another worker started repairing the gate around 10 a.m. and would be done by early afternoon.
Traffic approaching the tracks from the northbound and southbound lanes was closed until a crew to remove the train arrived, Stewart said.
Johnson said the train was about four hours behind.
"That was a hot train too, from what they told me," he said. "It has mail and stuff on it, so that's a train that typically isn't supposed to be stopped."
Johnson said the accident is a reminder that signal gates are put in place for safety, and drivers should be cautious of other drivers and dangers, especially on a holiday weekend.
Sarah Boswell contributed to this story.
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