Authorities say a 17-year-old girl who was jogging near train tracks in Columbia Falls was injured when she was hit by an Amtrak train.
Flathead County Sheriff’s Cpl. Nick Salois says the Columbia Falls teen, whose name was not released, was struck just before 9 p.m. Thursday when she tried to cut in front of the train. Salois says she remains hospitalized in Kalispell, but her injuries were “nothing major, for being hit by a train.”
He says the westbound engine “scooped her up and held her for a while” before she slid off the right side as it slowed. The teen was not dragged but suffered substantial injuries.
Authorities do not know how fast the train was going. Burlington Northern police, who patrol the tracks and are investigating, could not be reached for comment.
Salois says it appears the engineer saw the teen but she “looked like she was listening to music and it’s very possible she didn’t hear the whistle.”
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says the train was delayed for almost an hour and a half. He offered no further details.