By:Andrew Coen
The accident, which took place at around 3 p.m. on Dec. 16, caused a major headache for Five Towners. Train service on the Far Rockaway branch was halted for more than half an hour, and traffic was backed up throughout Hewlett and Woodmere.
The eastbound 1:59 p.m. train, scheduled to arrive in Far Rockaway at 3:03, struck the front fender of the 2000 Pontiac. The driver of the car, who was not identified, was stuck at a red light and was unable to back up far enough when the crossing gates descended as the train approached, according to LIRR spokesman Sam Zambuto.
The driver, who refused medical attention, was issued a summons for obstructing a railroad crossing, Zambuto said. After the collision, the man drove the vehicle, which sustained minor damage, away on his own, according to Zambuto.
None of the passengers on the train reported any injuries, Zambuto said. It is not known whether there were any passengers in the car, how many passengers were on the train or how fast the train was traveling at the time of the collision, Zambuto said.
About 30 minutes after the accident, the train was allowed to continue, and it arrived at the Hewlett station at around 3:40 p.m., officials said. Passengers caught the next eastbound train, while the train involved in the collision was kept at the station, according to Zambuto. "In order to have the customers accommodated as quickly as possible, they were accommodated by the next oncoming train," he said.
The Far Rockaway branch includes stops in Far Rockaway, Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, Hewlett, Gibson and Valley Stream.
The accident caused traffic in the Hewlett-Woodmere area to grind to a standstill, as both Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Nassau County police responded to the scene. "It's the worst place for it to happen, because it ties up [traffic] everywhere," Hewlett Business Association President Joseph Gelb said.
The traffic was so bad that an employee of the Hewlett Quiznos, at 1320 Broadway, down the street from the accident, was unable to drive back to the restaurant from a delivery he was making.
He said he had to leave the car he was driving at Majestic Car Wash, on West Broadway, for about an hour until the traffic improved.
"Mill Road was backed up all the way to Peninsula [Boulevard], so there was no way I was getting back," said the man, who wished to remain anonymous.
He added, "It sounded like a bang. You heard the train stopping more than anything." He said that it sounded like the train came to a screeching halt.
Although the incident brought train service in both directions to a halt, the westbound track was not affected, since no trains were scheduled to head into New York City at that time, Zambuto said.
Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
