A van narrowly avoided an oncoming train in Virginia during an incident that is being described as a “miracle.”
Video of the close encounter captured by Bob Brown in South Boston shows a van with the Pepsi logo accelerating across the tracks just moments before the train passes through.
“It was a miracle that he made it,” Brown told The Gazette-Virginian newspaper, which reported that the driver, identified as 53-year-old Tommy Cobbs of Danville, escaped injury.
Cobbs has since been charged with failure to obey signs and markings, the newspaper added, citing the Virginia State Police.
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The video, which was taken on July 13, begins with the van braking as it heads toward a lowered railroad crossing gate.
However, the van plows through the gate and comes to a stop right before the tracks, as the train can be seen approaching in the distance with its horns blaring.
The driver then backs up and appears to hit the gate a second time before the vehicle starts to move forward again.
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Just before it appears that the train will strike the van, a quick burst of acceleration allows the vehicle to get to the other side of the tracks safely.
The train eventually comes to a stop shortly following the incident.
The incident caused about $2,000 in damage to the crossing gate, according to The Gazette-Virginian.
“Based on the speed of the train and the speed of the van, I thought we were going to see crumpled metal or worse, but he made it,” Brown said.
