HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – A 17-year-old Zeeland Township woman died when her vehicle was struck by a moving train between Zeeland and Hudsonville on Monday afternoon.
According to Ottawa County Sheriff’s Sergeant Steve Austin, Samantha Jo Lubbers was pulling out of a business off of Chicago Drive east of 64th Avenue around 2:40 PM
Ausin says Lubbers was approaching the railroad track when she slowed her 2009 Ford Focus and failed to see a train traveling eastbound on the tracks. She then drove on the tracks and was struck in the passenger front side of her vehicle. The vehicle then rolled over and Lubbers was pinned in her vehicle.
Once she was extricated by Zeeland Township Fire Rescue, she was flown to Spectrum-Butterworth Hospital by Aeromed, where she succumbed to her injuries sustained in the crash. She was wearing her seatbelt in the crash.
The CSX train was traveling was eestbound on the track at 35 mph with 33 cars. The conductor and another employee were the only ones on the train and were not injured.The crash remains under investigation.
