SANTA ANA : Man in Car Fatally Hit by Locomotive
A man killed late Thursday when a locomotive hit the car he was riding in was identified Friday as Salvador Perez, 22, of Santa Ana.
Perez was killed instantly Thursday when a car driven by Jose Martinez, 22, also of Santa Ana, was struck on the passenger side by the engine. Police said Martinez was westbound about 10:30 p.m. Thursday in the 1000 block of 4th Street in Santa Ana.
Martinez reportedly ignored flashing lights and drove around the warning gate, onto the tracks and into the path of the southbound engine, police said.
The locomotive owned by Southern Pacific was traveling at 4 m.p.h. when it struck the car, according to railroad spokeswoman Carolynne Born.
Martinez received facial cuts and a broken jaw and was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, where he is in stable condition.
Because he went around the barrier, Martinez will be charged with vehicular manslaughter, said Lt. Bob Helton, Santa Ana police spokesman.
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