Car-train accident injures 1; railroad crossing arms failed

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An accident at Porter Road and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at about 4 p.m. yesterday closed traffic and injured the driver of the vehicle, who was crossing the tracks southbound on Porter Road.

Maricopa Police spokesman Ricky Alvarado said there were two occupants in the car. The driver, 55-year-old Zack Coryellbattle, was transported to Chandler Regional Medical Center and released last night.

Alvarado said a westbound service train was working on the tracks and, according to a Union Pacific representative, kicked up debris that blocked the railroad crossing arms’ sensor.  

“We’re still trying to get an accurate diagram of the scene, which could take some time because we have to do it to scale,” Alvarado said.

One detail is certain, according to Alvarado: “The arms didn’t work like they’re supposed to.”

Scott Bartle
InMaricopa’s publisher began his career in sports marketing, producing and marketing Association of Tennis Professionals Tour events in Indianapolis and Scottsdale. He served as marketing coordinator for the Super Bowl XXX Host Committee prior to joining the Maricopa County Sports Commission where he spent four years as its assistant executive director. Since 2000 Scott has served as president of Outside the Box Marketing, Inc. Scott is former president of the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board and IU Alumni Club of Phoenix and a member of the Knights of Columbus and Sigma Chi Fraternity. Scott is a graduate of Indiana University, Valley Leadership, Project CENTRL and the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy. A native Hoosier, Scott has lived in the Phoenix area since 1977 and in Maricopa since 2004.