Spokane County employee seriously injured after truck’s collision with train

SPOKANE — A Spokane County Public Works employee was seriously injured after the truck he was driving collided with a train Thursday in Otis Orchards.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the crash at about 10:45 a.m. on Lynden Road, south of Wellesley Avenue, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Spokane Valley Fire Department personnel treated the employee, a man who had what appeared to be life-threatening injuries, before he was airlifted to a hospital, deputies said. He was not identified in the release.

The man was listed in critical but stable condition, according to the Thursday afternoon release.

The sheriff’s office said initial information indicated he was driving the public works truck south on Lynden Road when the crash with the eastbound train occurred. The crossing does not have warning lights or an arm, or an audible warning, but does have railroad crossing signage and a stop sign.

No one on the train was injured, and the sheriff’s office is investigating the crash.

The railroad tracks and intersection were shut down for several hours, according to a Spokane Valley Fire Department release.