A Michigan City-area man reportedly survived with just a few broken bones after being struck by a Chicago-bound Amtrak train traveling 110 mph Friday.
Darryle See, 22, was alert and talking to police after being thrown 20 feet from the tracks near U.S. 12 east of Michigan City, Ind., according to LaPorte County Police Maj. John Boyd.
See was listening to music with headphones while walking west on the tracks around 11:45 a.m. Friday, officials said.
Police said conductors claim they sounded the train’s horn multiple times before the emergency brakes were applied and See was hit by the locomotive.Train officials said they were traveling at 110 mph at the time of the accident.
Police were alerted to the accident after someone ran into the streets to flag down a patrolling officer saying they saw a body near the tracks and heard screaming.
Boyd said that during his career in law enforcement he’s never heard of anyone living after a full-impact hit by a train while on foot.
“It was absolutely amazing,” he said. “I’ve seen a number of people get hit by trains and it’s never a good thing."
He said See had what appeared to be a broken arm and was bleeding, but was sitting up and was able to tell them what happened.
Family told the Northwest Indiana Times that See was at a hospital in South Bend, Ind. on Saturday with “one or two” fractures to his pelvis and injuries to his neck, but said his injuries were non-life threatening.
The train was reportedly heading from Port Huron, Mich. to Chicago, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.
Boyd said the high-speed train route from Detroit to Chicago was implemented in the area just over a year ago.
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