BELEN, N.M. — A driver speeding down a city street hit an embankment Thursday morning launching himself over three BNSF Railway trains parked for fueling before falling onto vacant track in the Belen Yard.
The driver of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, identified as Anthony Sanchez of Belen, survived his estimated 150-foot flight and remains in an Albuquerque hospital. No injuries were reported among BNSF personnel.
Local news media quote Belen police as saying Sanchez was traveling perhaps 100 mph on Baca Street when it ended at First Street, which parallels the west side of the Belen yard. There was no indication he attempted to brake for the intersection or the embankment of an irrigation ditch on the other side, and scrapes were found atop one of the freight cars, police tell local media.
“I look up and see a car coming so fast that I didn’t even have time to determine if he was going to make the corner,” Eric Gibson told the Valencia News-Bulletin. “He hit the train and was still climbing as I was looking,”
Tom Nelson of Belen, apparently shooting video of BNSF operations from the Rankin Avenue overpass, recorded the crash and posted it to his Facebook page. The video shows a dusty contrail passing over the trains about 10 cars behind the locomotives with the car barely visible as it flips and spins while plowing into the yard.
The trains and what appears to be a light-power set were parked at the fuels pads on the four westbound main tracks flanking the yard.
Police said Sanchez, whose age and medical condition have not been released, consented to having blood drawn to determine whether he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
UAW/O’Bamamotors should not be allowed to sell “Chebbys” to illegal immigrants.
The good Lord looks after fools and drunks.
Having been on the Rankin Ave. bridge, I can only speculate that if he hit the tank, it would have been a disaster not just for BNSF but the town of Belen as well. Those tanks hold more than 1,000,000 gallons of fuel.
Man, if he had been a bit more towards the camera and hit that fuel tank this would have been a different story that had a different ending.
?? you, sir win the world wide Internet award today.
Evel Kinevil lives!
Mr. Sanchez is lucky to be alive!
Waiting for someone to dub this video over with the horn from the General Lee… 😀