Authorities: Little Rock Port Authority worker radioed train's engineer just before collision that killed colleague

These two graphics from a Little Rock Police Department report show a collision between a train and a truck at and after impact.
These two graphics from a Little Rock Police Department report show a collision between a train and a truck at and after impact.

A Little Rock Port Authority worker radioed just before a train collided with a truck last week to warn that it didn't appear the 18-wheeler was stopping at a railroad crossing both vehicles were approaching, according to a report released on Monday.

The truck driver, identified in the report as 80-year-old Jesse Bingham of Diana, Texas, later told investigators he didn't see the train coming until it was too late to avoid impact.

The collision, which happened Thursday morning at a railroad crossing on Frazier Pike, resulted in the train being knocked off the tracks and onto Donald Melton, 62, of Austin. He died at the scene.

According to the report released Monday by the Little Rock Police Department, port workers Melton and Scotty Allen were acting as spotters as an engine pushed eight cars toward the crossing.

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Photos by Thomas Metthe

After seeing that the truck, which was carrying pipes, was not slowing or stopping, Allen radioed to the engineer "to begin emergency braking," police wrote.

Both workers then jumped from the train before it derailed and landed on Melton. The longtime port worker had announced his retirement the day before the crash.

Bingham, the truck driver, told authorities he "did not see any lights or warning signals and proceeded through the crossing," the report said.

"As he was moving through the crossing he noticed the train coming toward but did not have time [to] react and was struck by the train at the point where the trailer connects to the cab," police added.

A breath test on Bingham revealed no signs of impairment, police said, noting a urine test was still pending.

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