RIO GRANDE COUNTY— A potato truck collided with a train on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 12 resulting in the train’s conductor complaining of injuries.
According to the Colorado State Patrol, Robert Proft, 27, Alamosa, was driving eastbound on Rio Grande County Road 5N and disregarded the railroad signal. As a result the caboose of a southbound San Luis Central Railroad train collided with the left rear portion of Proft’s potato truck. Proft’s truck then collided with a power pole causing the pole to break in half. The train’s caboose, where the conductor was present, was derailed.
The train was occupied by a conductor and an engineer. The conductor reported a complaint of injury.
Proft has been cited with four charges including careless driving causing bodily injury, disregarding a railroad signal, driving a vehicle while license denied and commercial vehicle failing to comply with DPS rules and regulations.
Alcohol and drugs were not contributing factors.