Shellsburg man hurt in train-van collision in Palo

A Shellsburg man was taken to the hospital with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries after the van he was a passenger in was hit by a train in Palo on Monday evening.

According to the Linn County Sheriff's Office, Terrance Wright, 37, of Cedar Rapids failed to yield to an Iowa Northern Railway train at the railroad crossing on Vinton Street and Shellsburg Road. The Dodge Grand Caravan he was driving eastbound on Vinton Street was hit by the train into the west ditch.

A passenger in the van, Brett Opperman, 57, of Shellsburg, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital by Hiawatha Ambulance. Both men were believed to be wearing seatbelts.

Wright was charged with driving while licence under suspension and failure to obey a traffic control device and taken to the the Linn County Correctional Center. He refused medical attention at the scene of the accident.

Linn County Deputies, Linn County Sheriff's Rescue, Hiawatha Ambulance and the Palo Fire Department responded to the scene around 6:29 p.m. The accident remains under investigation.