An unattended vehicle was struck on the Union Pacific railroad crossing at 18th St in Grand Junction Thursday at 10:32 pm. Greene County Ambulance and Grand Junction rescue were called to the scene before it was learned there was no one in the vehicle. The driver who had left her vehicle on the tracks, Shari Allen, 43, of Grand Junction has been charged with driving while license revoked.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, the 9-1-1 dispatcher received a call of a car traveling eastbound on the railroad tracks from 16th St. The dispatcher soon received another call that the vehicle was stuck on the tracks near the 18th St crossing. The deputy advised the dispatcher to notify Union Pacific. Before that could be done, the vehicle had been struck by a westbound train.
When the deputy arrived on the scene, he found the vehicle on the south side of the tracks. He checked for occupants but found the vehicle was empty. The license plate showed the 1999 Honda CRV was owned by Shari Allen.
The deputy went to her address but no one was home. A short time later two persons dropped Allen off at her home. They told the deputy they heard the crash and went to see what was happening. They found Allen and took her home. She seemed disoriented, the two told the deputy.
The deputy spoke with Allen, who said she had walked to Casey’s General Store, but lost her glasses, causing her to become disoriented. She said she didn’t know which way she was walking or where she was until the two persons picked her up.
She later admitted to the deputy she was driving and was confused about where to turn and ended up on the railroad tracks. She said she tried to find someone to help her move the car off the tracks but was unsuccessful. She continued eastbound on the tracks and the vehicle got stuck. She saw the approaching train and got out of the vehicle.
The deputy arrested Allen for driving while license revoked. The revocation was part of sentencing on a charge of operating while intoxicated in a case initiated in October. Allen admitted to the deputy she had been drinking prior to driving her car down the train tracks. At the jail, Allen agreed to do field sobriety testing. She then asked to do a preliminary breath test, which showed a blood alcohol content of .059 percent.
The county attorney declined to charge her with OWI because of the specifics of the case. In addition to the charge of driving while license revoked, Allen was charged with trespass.
Damage to her Honda CRV exceeded value. The train sustained front end damage.
