Motorist Arrested in Fatal Crash With Train

A Palmdale man was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter Thursday after he drove his car around railroad crossing arms and was struck by a freight train, killing his passenger, authorities said.

The accident Wednesday night in Palmdale killed Joey D. Moore, 21, a passenger in a Chevrolet Camaro driven by Eric Larson, 21. Larson was in serious condition with internal injuries at Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said Thursday afternoon.

Larson was arrested because he apparently ignored crossing arms and warning lights and drove onto the tracks at Avenue R near Sierra Highway about 10:55 p.m Wednesday, authorities said. A Southern Pacific train was traveling northbound about 50 m.p.h. when it hit the car, sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Shreves said.

The impact hurled both men from the car and pushed the car about 60 feet, Shreves said. The victims, described by a coroner’s investigator as friends and former high school classmates, might have been drinking or using drugs, Shreves said.

Investigators are seeking a third man as a witness who might have been following or preceding the two victims in another car, Shreves said. A witness who was at the scene after the collision reported seeing a car nearby whose driver appeared intoxicated, Shreves said, and Larson made statements about a third man to deputies.