Witness describes aftermath after deadly collision between SUV, Brightline train
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Surveillance video obtained by FOX 35 shows the moments an SUV and a Brightline train collided Wednesday afternoon in Melbourne, killing a man and injuring three others.
"Your life, no matter what the rush was, it's not worth getting in an accident like that," witness Jake Hungerford said.
He was working near the crossing located at WH Jackson Street when he heard the crash.
"It didn't really even sound like a crash. It really sounded like a bomb went off, to be honest," he said.
RELATED: Brightline train crash in Melbourne leaves 1 dead, 3 hurt, officials say
Hungerford and his coworkers ran to the scene as quickly as they could. What he saw next is something he's having trouble processing.
"I could see this lady hanging out of the back windshield, so that's how bad the impact was. It blew her all the way back. She was crying and covered in blood, and she was like, 'Please help, please help," he said.
Hungerford says he tried his best to keep the passengers inside the SUV calm until officers and medics arrived.
Melbourne Police say there were a total of four people inside. The driver died at the scene. The three passengers were taken to the hospital.
"It really is a reinforcer for sure that, when those [crossing arms] go down, I would not try it," he said.
While the crash remains under investigation, Melbourne mayor Paul Alfrey is looking into ways to prevent this from happening again.
"We have to take into account that even with the safety precautions, people are still having crashes, and so we have to find out why. And if it's a public safety campaign, so be it," he said.
With the crossing so close to his job, Hungerford hopes he never witnesses anything like this again.
"You can't beat a train. You can't. It's unfortunate," he said.
Investigators are still working to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a factor in this crash. The identities of those involved have not yet been released.