Amtrak Train Strikes 2 People In Ann Arbor: Officials

ANN ARBOR, MI — Two people were struck by an Amtrack train Sunday evening in Ann Arbor after they walked onto a railroad bridge directly south of Mitchell Field, officials said.

A man and woman were taken to a nearby hospital with critical injuries after the train struck them around 7 p.m., officials said.

Ann Arbor Fire Chief Mike Kennedy told WWJ News the pair are in their 20s and were expected to survive the crash, although the man will probably have a long recovery after suffering severe blunt force trauma.

The man had to be carried up an embankment after he was thrown into the Huron River by the train, officials said. The woman was tossed onto an embankment, but not in the river, officials said.

As officials provided medical care to both patients, the one had to be packaged and carried up the steep river embankment for transfer to the University of Michigan Hospital, officials said.

"This was a near double fatal incident," officials said. "We cannot stress enough, do NOT trespass on the railroad bridges or tracks. The newer Amtrak engines are very quiet and do not sound their air horns when traveling through Ann Arbor (no grade crossings). The trains also quickly get up to +55 mph. Pedestrians on the tracks do NOT have time to react."