TRAIN COLLIDES WITH CAR

A car that had been reported as driving erratically on Cleveland Street went off the road on East Bridge Street near the Lorain County Blood Bank this morning around 9am. The car came to rest on a set of railroad tracks behind the Blood Bank with the driver slumped over the wheel.

Elyria Firefighters and LifeCare Paramedics were checking the people inside the car when they noticed a train come around the corner from the west. Elyria Police Officers on scene were instructing their dispatch to contact the railroad to stop the train and shut down the rails. The train continued toward the car while Firefighters and Medics scrambled to get the two people out of the car and placed in a safe area. The train was unable to stop in time and collided with the passenger side front of the Park Ave.

“This vehicle drove up the hillside here along side of the Blood Bank and hit some obstructions along side of the tracks and catapulted up onto the rails. Officers responded and the driver was slumped in the front seat at the time. The driver and his wife were pulled quickly and carefully from the wreckage. The call went into Conrail to stop the trains but they could not stop them in time. I will be examining the driver and have more details later today.” Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus

The woman in the car was flown from EMH to Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland.

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UPDATE

The names of the victims have been released by officials. The driver of the vehicle was 81 year old Theodore Ramsey with his wife Emma Ramsey. Officials believe Theodore suffered a medical condition that morning and was driving to the hospital when they went off the road. A surviellence camera positioned across the street shows the Ramsey’s car taking a sharp left off of East Bridge, driving over the curb next to the Blood Bank and up the hillside.