Woman Critically Injured After Metrolink Train Collides with Semi in Oxnard

Train-Semi Collision in Oxnard

• 💥 A Metrolink train collided with a semi-truck at the intersection of Rice and Fifth in Oxnard.
• 📅 The incident occurred last night at 7:15 p.m. when the tractor-trailer ended up on the railroad tracks.
• ⚠️ The train, traveling from Ventura County to Los Angeles County, was unable to stop in time.

Debris Strikes Food Vendor

• 🤕 A food vendor working at a taco stand at the intersection was struck by debris from the crash.
• 🏥 She was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a head injury, though her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
• 🚚 The driver of the semi-truck was unharmed and is not facing charges, as the incident is currently considered an accident.

Train Passengers and Previous Incidents

• 🚆 There were 13 passengers aboard the Metrolink train; some were checked for pain but did not require further medical treatment.
• 💔 This intersection has a history of similar, more severe accidents, including one in February 2015 where a Metrolink engineer died and 30 passengers were injured.
• ⚖️ In the 2015 incident, the truck driver from Arizona received a 30-day jail sentence.

Safety Concerns at Intersection

• 📍 Rice and Fifth is considered one of the most dangerous intersections in Ventura County.
• 🏗️ Plans are underway to build a bridge to take cars and pedestrians over the intersection for safety, with groundbreaking having occurred last month.
• ⏳ However, the bridge construction is expected to take about four years to complete, and work has not yet started.