Victim hopes her light rail accident is a warning to others

03:56 PM CST on Sunday, February 13, 2005

By Wendell Edwards / 11 News

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There was a violent light rail accident a few days ago in the Medical Center area. The driver of the van involved spoke with 11 News and said she thinks her accident should be a warning to others.

They are a jarring, dramatic images captured on camera. A light rail train slammed into a white van that was making a left turn.

"All I could do was close my eyes and say, 'oh my God, oh my God' and I did like that and I said, 'Lord, stop this train' and he did," the driver said.

Driving the white van was 43-year-old Pat. She wanted to keep her last name secret, but talked all about the accident that took place Thursday in the Medical Center just as rush hour began. Pat said she didn't hear the train nor see it until it was too late.

"The only time I saw it was when it made contact. Actually, when it made contact. That's how I knew that train was there," Pat said.

Pat said she's blessed to be alive, only suffering minor scrapes and bruises. The passenger in the van, however, was seriously hurt and is still recovering at Memorial Hermann.

Pat calls the accident an error in judgment. "For me to make a misguided turn like that, it was just beyond me," she said.

This was the 73rd light rail accident since the trains started running more than a year ago.

Pat fears there will more accidents, possibly even worse than the one she was involved in, if something isn't done.

"I don't know if it's going to take an instant death before they do something else with the safety of pedestrians and drivers along that railway," said Pat.

She calls herself number 73, hoping she is the last one.