Alleged Drunken Driver Pulls Around Gates, into Freight Train: Police

LEMONT, IL — A Burbank man was arrested Tuesday evening after police say he drove around a railroad gate, hitting a freight train.

Sam Pickering, of Burbank, was allegedly drunk when he bypassed the gates near Talcott Avenue and Main Street just before midnight.

Pickering "just bounced off" the middle of the train, said Police Chief Marc Maton.

It was an odd call, Maton added, stating that they haven't seen something similar happen in the town.

Pickering was charged with driving under the influence, failure to stop at a railroad crossing, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle. He was uninjured, but taken to Silver Cross Hospital as a preventive measure.