Boy, parents die when they go around railroad crossing gate [SUV Alert]

AP via TBO ^ | Nov. 14, 2005

[ncountylee]

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A 2-year-old boy and his parents were killed when their sport utility vehicle went around a railroad crossing gate and was struck by a commuter train, officials said.

Pompano Beach residents Albert Renteria, 28, his wife, Martiza Gomez, 24, and son Daniel Renteria all died instantly Sunday night, Broward County sheriff's Spokesman Jim Leljedal said.

Renteria was driving the GMC Jimmy eastbound when he and another driver tried to go around a gate, Leljedal said. The first driver made it but Renteria didn't. No one on the train was injured.

Witnesses reported that the gate was down for an extended period, Leljedal said, but sheriff deputies were still investigating how long.

"It's just never a good idea to go around a rail road track," Leljedal said. 'People in the car are going to be either critically injured or killed."

[sionnsar]

when their sport utility vehicle went around a railroad crossing gate

All on its own, eh?

[ncountylee]

Tragic, but vehicle mentioned more than victims names.

[birbear]

i caught it too.

[sionnsar]

ncountylee rather set it up for us

[Republicus2001]

Bushfault!

[sionnsar]

The first driver made it but Renteria didn't.

No mention of what the first driver was driving. An SUV perhaps?

[Salo]

Does anyone doubt Darwin now?

[Ingtar]

Murderous SUV alert!

[sionnsar]

"It's just never a good idea to go around a rail road track,"

You know, if the reporter & editor weren't so focused on the SUV they might have caught this error.

[RedStateRocker]

Darwin will not be denied.

[Malsua]

Those Damn SUVs just aren't safe.

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

Some moronic people are always in such a damned hurry that they're not even willing to wait for passing trains. My guess is that this was likely a little bit of bleach in the gene pool.

~ Blue Jays ~

[scory]

Must have been one of those new invisible trains.

[b4its2late]

A 2-year-old boy and his parents were killed when their sport utility vehicle went around a railroad crossing gate and was struck by a commuter train

That'll happen everytime this stunt is tried.

[Ostlandr]

Love the way these articles are slanted. It's as if the driver was waiting patiently at the crossing, when his SUV got impatient and all by itself drove around the lowered gates.

BTW, the technology exists to prevent trag- oops, I mean dumb-a$$ accidents like this:

http://www.energyabsorption.com/products/permanent/stop_gate_rail_road_safety_barrier.htm

Even if an evil, oil guzzling 4,400# SUV rams the gate at 43 miles an hour, you still can't get in front of the train. Neat, huh?

[bikepacker67]

I know that Darwin awards are usually reserved for those who manage to kill themselves before they procreate, but this guy deserves honorable mention given that this dumbazz off'd his progeny as well.

[BenLurkin]

when their sport utility vehicle went around a railroad crossing gate

It really is a bizarre way to describe this event.

[Right Wing Assault]

"Mort pour rien!" Kill the police! Kill the engineer. Burn everyone's car! Oh, wait, these aren't Muzzles from the ROP. Sorry.