4 dead in car-passenger train collision near SC-GA line; official says car tried to beat train

4 dead in car-train crash near SC-GA state line

HARDEEVILLE, S.C. — An Amtrak passenger train hit a car trying to cross the tracks near the South Carolina-Georgia state line and four people have been killed.

Jasper County Coroner Martin Sauls III said Tuesday morning three adults and a 12-year-old child from Hardeeville in the southeastern part of the state died. None of the approximately 20 passengers or five crew members on the Amtrak was hurt.

Hardeeville interim city manager Ted Felder says the wreck happened about 9 p.m. Monday when the car tried to get around a crossing arm and beat the train. Felder says the train pushed the car about a mile down the tracks before it could stop.

The train was headed from Charleston to Savannah, Ga.

The coroner didn’t immediately release the names of the victims.