Crime & Safety
Man Killed In Crash With Light Rail Train In Tempe: Police
A driver was killed after his car collided with a light rail train early Sunday morning near Center Parkway and Washington Street in Tempe.
TEMPE, AZ — A man was killed in a car crash with a light rail train on Sunday morning in Tempe, according to police.
The Tempe Police Department said officers were called to the area around Center Parkway and Washington Street just before 12:30 a.m. after a car collided with the train.
Service Alert: Due to a collision blocking our westbound track at Center Pkwy/Washington we are experiencing a delay of up to 15 minutes both eastbound and westbound at this time. #vmservice #phxtraffic
— Valley Metro (@valleymetro) January 3, 2021
The crash delayed light rail service and temporarily shut down westbound train travel between the Mill Avenue/3rd Street stop and the Priest Drive/Washington stop, according to tweets from Valley Metro. The crash was removed after about 20 minutes, allowing travel to resume.
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An initial investigation has led police to believe the driver was traveling east when he crashed into the westbound train. The man died at the scene, according to police. It is unclear what caused the crash or if the driver was impaired. The man has not yet been identified.
The train's operator was slightly injured in the crash and taken to the hospital for treatment. No passengers were on the train at the time.
Find out what's happening in Tempefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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