Two individuals died Thursday morning in Theodore, Alabama, after their vehicle was struck by an Amtrak train at a railroad crossing. Mobile Police identified the deceased on Friday as 41-year-old James Cobb and his 44-year-old fiancée, Suzanne Wages. According to Mobile Police spokesman Blake Brown, the safety equipment at the crossing, including the arms, was operating normally and down when the collision occurred. Police report that Cobb, who was driving, attempted to bypass the crossing arms, trying to "beat the train." This incident marks the second fatal train-car crash at this specific crossing this year.
The collision, which happened just before 11 a.m., produced a loud boom heard by Leonard Whitfield, assistant pastor of Mount Airy Missionary Baptist Church. Whitfield, who was on his way to a barbershop, was in the vicinity and turned to discover the aftermath. He later made the horrifying discovery that he knew the victims personally, having known James Cobb since his birth. The force of the impact was so great that it split the couple’s car in half, with part of the vehicle remaining at the crossing and the other section carried further down the tracks, according to Whitfield. Even hours after the incident, debris remained scattered around the scene. Cobb and Wages are survived by a son, who reportedly turned seven years old on the very day of the crash. Whitfield recounted seeing Cobb approximately 45 minutes prior to the incident, pumping gas and exchanging a greeting.
Blake Brown, the Mobile Police spokesman, reiterated that the vehicle disregarded the operational crossing arms. Brown stated that the vehicle "was not wanting to wait, tried to go around the arms," and was subsequently struck by the train. He confirmed that the car was "completely cut in half" and that two victims were deceased inside. This recent tragedy follows a similar fatal crash at the same Theodore crossing in February. In that incident, 31-year-old Brittany Williams and her 8-year-old daughter were killed when their car went around the crossing arms and was hit by an Amtrak train.
Mobile Police have previously engaged in public outreach efforts, issuing public service announcements to warn against the dangers of attempting to race trains. Brown emphasized that the Amtrak train involved travels significantly faster than many freight trains that pass through the area. The city has also disseminated information advising drivers not to outrun trains or attempt to go under crossing arms, stressing that these safety devices are in place for a crucial reason. Assistant Pastor Whitfield characterized the events as tragic, asserting that crashes of this nature are preventable. He urged the public to exercise alertness and patience when encountering trains. Furthermore, Whitfield suggested that the crossing could benefit from more dynamic security measures, such as physical barriers that rise from the ground to obstruct cars. WALA reported that it had contacted Amtrak regarding the incident but had not yet received a response.