OGDEN, Utah — A high schooler says she's lucky to be alive after her car collided with a train Wednesday night in west Ogden.
"There will be little bits and moments throughout the day that I'm just like, 'How am I alive right now?'" said Hadlee Criddle.
The 17-year-old was on her way to go swing-dancing around 9 p.m near Midland Drive and Industrial Drive when a train appeared out of the darkness. She said she didn't see any lights or hear a horn.
"The train clipped my car. The guy said I spun three times and ended up in the grass," she recalled.
She has a minor concussion and back pain from the whiplash.
"I remember I kept asking, 'Am I going to be OK?' I had no idea what had happened," said Criddle.
She spoke to the man who watched the crash and rushed to her aid. He told her he also had no clue the train was there.
"There's a fence right there that's like a blind spot. You can't even see if a train is coming," said Criddle. "The fence is right there. He's like, 'I didn't even see the train coming myself.'"
There are signs warning drivers of the crossing and telling them to yield. One sign even clearly states: "No gates or light."
Hadlee said that needs to change.
"I have a twin sister and we were supposed to be driving together on the way there. I'm just so thankful she wasn't in the car with me," she said. "I don't think anyone who was sitting on that side at all would have made it."
According to the Utah Department of Transportation, there's only ever been one reported accident at that location. It was in 2005 and nobody was hurt.
