Train strikes truck in Wednesday crash

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint woman is lucky to be alive today after her vehicle was struck by a speeding train early Wednesday morning.

Jennifer Brotherton-Manna, 47, was traveling southbound on North Kootenai Road at approximately 6 a.m. when she entered a railroad crossing and was hit by a train, according to Idaho State Police trooper Jeff Jayne.

The eastbound train, which was traveling at nearly 50 mph, collided with the passenger side of Brotherton-Manna’s 2003 Ford F1 50 truck, Jayne said.

“The vehicle landed on its roof 100 feet from the point of impact,” he said. “She was wearing a seat belt, which saved her live. She was treated and I think released today from Bonner General Hospital.”

Brotherton-Manna was the only person in the vehicle and was cited for failure to stop at a railroad crossing. The crossing does not have electronic gates and does not alert motorists with flashing lights, but does have a railroad crossing and stop sign. State law requires motorists to stop no more than 50 feet and no closer than 15 feet from the sign, according to Jayne.

The crash scene spanned approximately a half mile and a portion of the truck was lodged into the train’s front end, causing a nearly four-hour delay on the tracks, Jayne said.