Truck Driver Hit By Train Was Trying To Leave Town

The driver of the truck hit by a train Friday night was unfamiliar with downtown Martinez, and was trying to leave town, according to the Martinez police.

"The person was not familiar with downtown Martinez, and was trying to leave the city," said Lt. Aaron Roth, "but got turned around on the streets."

The driver, who remains unidentified, was not arrested Friday night on charges of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Comments from the police Friday night indicated that tests were planned to be taken at John Muir Medical Center, where the driver was airlifted after the accident.

The driver suffered several non-life-threatening injuries, the most serious of which was a broken leg.

There is conflicting information about how the truck wound up on the tracks before the 9:11 p.m. crash. Eyewitnesses told police that the truck drove around the lowered barricade, and tried to make a u-turn on the tracks shortly before being struck by the train. However, the driver disputes that version, Roth said.

Police will be reviewing the video of the incident taken from the train to try and determine just what happened, he noted.

Meanwhile, a bocce tournament that was ending just as the accident occured stranded dozens of people behind the train, which blocked the Ferry Street crossing for two hours.

Roth said the East Bay Regional Park Police opened the park gates at Berrellesa side of the Shoreline Park, and many of the participants were able to leave that way. He estimated it took about an hour for that to happen.

"Still, waiting an hour to get home can definitely ruin an evening," Roth said.