Just outside Metro headquarters, another light rail accident

10:04 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 6, 2005

By Jeremy Desel / 11 News

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Emergency crews rushed to the intersection of St. Joseph Parkway and Main Tuesday afternoon for an accident involving light rail.

This accident, like so many others, was the result of an illegal left turn.

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Video from the Metro light rail train shows the tow truck as it begins to cross in front of the train car.

"The tow truck driver just turned to the left. No turn signal, no nothing. It was obvious he was not going to make it," says witness Keith Davis. He didn't make it, and the light rail car heading south out of downtown hit the back of the tow truck, severing the trailer it was towing.

"I made a left turn and by the time I realized I wasn't supposed to do it, the train was already coming," says driver Phillip Gonzales, "I didn't see it."

Gonzales was supposed to be heading to Dallas but instead, he was heading to the hospital to check on his girlfriend, who hurt her neck in the collision.

Metro's top officials were quick to respond, and they didn't have far to go.

"We just heard a loud noise and looked out our windows immediately. Unfortunately, we saw the accident," says Metro VP George Smalley.

Smalley and other executives were in a meeting several floors up in the Metro headquarters.

Metro Police cited the tow truck driver for an illegal left turn. That is the most common cause of light rail accidents, no matter where they happen.

"Whenever it happens wherever it happens we are trying to make sure it stops happening," Smalley says.

This accident, unlike many of the others, caused some fairly significant damage. In addition to the nose cone damage, there was damage to the side as well. The train car will be out of commission while it is repaired.

The Metro driver was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but is expected to be fine.