Freight Train Crushes Armed Robbers' Getaway Car Near Zion: Cops

LAKE COUNTY, IL — One man accused of holding up a gas station in Wisconsin is in custody after his stolen getaway car was hit by a freight train in northern Lake County early Thursday.

A second man accused in the armed robbery remains on the lam. Authorities said they were called to the Canadian Pacific railroad tracks just north of Route 173, between North Kilbourne Road and Route 41, in unincorporated Zion at about 4 a.m.

When they arrived, they found a 2005 Toyota sedan on the railroad track after it had been hit by the train and pushed for about a mile down the tracks. No one was inside the vehicle, which was reportedly stolen, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Police said one man matching the description of one of the armed robbers was located at the crash scene and was taken into custody. He has been turned over to police in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. The second armed robber remains on the run, authorities said.

Police said the armed robbery occurred in Pleasant Prairie more than an hour before the crash. Shots were fired by one or both of the armed robbers, according to authorities.

Authorities believe the second armed robber, who may be armed, could have been in the car prior to the crash. The sheriff's office's K-9 team and several deputies searched the area following the collision, using drones as well, to try to locate him but were unable to track him down, according to the news release.

He is no longer believed to be in the area, police said.

He is described as a Hispanic man about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and having an average build. He was wearing a mask at the time of the armed robbery.

This is a developing story. Check back to Patch.com for updates.