Williamsville man dies when train collides with truck,

By Michelle Friedrich ~ Daily American Republic

WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- A Williamsville man died Wednesday when his pickup was struck by a Union Pacific train.

Joseph F. Boyer, 68, was pronounced dead at the scene by Wayne County deputy coroner Alex Ruegg.

Boyer's death was from massive trauma, Ruegg said.

The accident happened at 11 a.m. at the most eastern railroad crossing along Highway 49 in Williamsville, said Union Pacific special agent Steve Ray.

At the time of the accident, a Union Pacific engine, pulling two tankers and a hopper, was northbound from Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Boyer was eastbound on Hiram Street, Ray said.

Boyer "just didn't stop" at the crossing, Ray said, adding: "There isn't a signal here. The cross bucks are the same as a yield sign. You're supposed to look both ways."

The train engineer reported he was sounding the horn and the lights were working properly, Ray said.

The engineer stopped the train as quickly as he could, but not before it struck Boyer's 1997 Ford Ranger.

The accident is being investigated by Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Chuck Colbert and railroad officials.

Colbert said the witnesses and the train's crew "basically all had the same story," which was that Boyer allegedly failed to yield to the train.

It is not known exactly what the train's speed was at the time of the accident, Ray said.

"This is a 40 mph right of way," he said. "It could have been any speed, but the track speed is 40."

The train's crew told Colbert that they believed their speed was 40 mph, but that information will be taken off the train's recorder, he said.

In the 10 years Ray had been with Union Pacific, this was the first accident he has worked at this crossing in Williamsville.

According to what Ray was told Wednesday, there had been some crashes at the crossing prior to that time.

The most recent train-vehicle accident at Williamsville occurred at the other crossing, Ray said.

"Two girls were parked on the tracks talking" to the occupants in another vehicle, he said.