Preston man killed in foggy collision with train

<strong>DAYTON, Idaho—</strong> A Franklin County dump truck driver, Lee Lewis, collided with a train around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday on West Side Highway 36 in between Dayton and Preston. Lewis, a Preston resident, was killed in the collision. 

“The train was through the intersection. It was really early, foggy, visibility was basically nothing, and the truck ran into the side of the train as it was passing,” said Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Kip Larsen. 

Larsen said 6-8 railroad cars were derailed, and the highway was completely blocked. No other people were injured in the wreck, but Larsen said it would take 24-48 hours – at minimum – to clean things up. 

“(The train) detached and the front end of the train kept going. They didn’t feel much, other than when it disconnects, the train automatically stops itself,” Larsen said. 

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