Police Department

DUI Suspect Arrested After he Drives on Train Tracks, Gets Car Stuck, and Car is Hit by Train

Monique Cotton 509.363.8285

Friday, August 22, 2014 at 9:16 a.m.

DUI suspect drives car on to train tracks, gets his vehicle stuck on the train tracks, leaves the scene before a train collides with the vehicle, jumps down a 7-foot embankment, breaks his ankle in the jump, and is located by officers and arrested for DUI.

This morning, just after 2:50 a.m., Spokane Police received a report of an accident/collision involving a vehicle and a train near the intersection of S. Browne St. and W. Pacific Ave. Officers were on-scene in less than two minutes after the call and determined a train had hit an unoccupied vehicle in the area of Sprague Way and Erie. Witnesses indicated they saw two males leaving the location on foot.

Officers located the two males, and determined the driver, identified as 24-year-old Ruben Flores drove westbound onto the train tracks until his vehicle got stuck on the tracks. A train approached the vehicle and Flores and the vehicle passenger got out of the car prior to the train hitting the car. The two left the scene westbound on foot and jumped down a 7-foot embankment near Sprague and Division. As a result of the jump, Flores broke his ankle.

Upon location of Flores and the passenger of the vehicle, officers determined the two had been drinking. Flores was arrested for DUI and transported to the hospital for treatment for the injury he sustained jumping from the tracks.

No other injuries were reported stemming from this incident.

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