ROYALTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Royalton Police say an elderly woman who died early Wednesday after her car was struck by a freight train, may have confused the tracks for a road.
Police say Rhea Laroche, 92, of Westminster, Mass., was killed after her car got stuck on the tracks around 3:15 a.m. at the railroad crossing on Acton Place in Royalton. It’s still not clear why Laroche was in Vermont or driving so early.
Royalton Police Chief Loretta Stalnaker says Laroche was on a remote section of the tracks with her lights off. “Ended up with no lights on, so it was very dark. The train conductor couldn’t see she was there until it was too late,” she said.
Stalnaker guesses Laroche may have confused train tracks for the road and gotten stuck. She says Laroche wasn’t diagnosed with any memory issues.
Police say the case remains under investigation.