January 31st, 2018 by WCBC Radio
A train carrying members of Congress to a GOP policy retreat struck a garbage truck in Virginia and at least one person aboard the truck may be dead, according to multiple lawmakers on the train. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona told The Washington Post that there were three passengers on the truck, with one dead and two injured. Flake said he and other lawmakers carried one of the injured truck passengers to an ambulance with local medical personnel. Some accounts say there were two people on the truck.
A spokeswoman for the Congressional Institute, which is sponsoring the retreat, confirmed to NBC News that there is one fatality, one personal critically injured, one member of Congress sent to the hospital and another being examined along with a staffer.
Rep. Andy Harris was not aboard–a spokewsoman said he is driving to the retreat himself.
The Amtrak train crashed with the truck in Crozet, which is west of Charlottesville, at 11:20 a.m. local time.
Rep. Roger Marshall, a doctor who represents Kansas' 1st District, said the train"carrying members and spouses hit something." Marshall performed CPR to the train conductor, according to a tweet from his account.
A reporter with BuzzFeed News tweeted a photo of a badly damaged truck at the scene and said the truck driver is injured. There appears to be trash scattered across the area.
In a statement Amtrak said there are no reported injuries to passengers or crew members: "Local law enforcement is investigating the incident and crews are inspecting equipment for damage. The train originated in Washington, D.C. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available."
Rep. Jeff Denham tweeted a photo of the front of the train, which is scratched and dented but mostly intact.
.jpg)
