One person killed when Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers to retreat collides with truck

North Dakota’s lone member of the U.S. House was among several Republican lawmakers who, along with family members and aides, left Washington Wednesday morning bound for an annual party conference in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

But things came to a stop near Crozet about 110 miles southeast of Washington after the train struck a vehicle on the track at about 11:20 a.m., according to an Amtrak statement.

The White House said there were no serious injuries reported among lawmakers or their aides, but confirmed one person was killed and another was seriously injured in the crash. An Albemarle County spokeswoman told the Washington Post that three people were on the truck at the time, including the person who died.

Amtrak later said five people on the train – three passengers and two crew members – were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Rep. Jason Lewis, R-Minn., was treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, according to spokesperson Stephen Bradford. Bradford said Lewis was discharged Wednesday and traveled to the retreat where he was said to be recovering from a concussion.

“He looks forward to participating in the retreat as much as he is able,” Bradford said.

Two other congressmen from Minnesota, Reps. Tom Emmer and Erik Paulsen, posted to Twitter on Wednesday that they were on the train but weren’t injured.

Cramer said he was doing a live radio interview with North Dakota’s Scott Hennen at the time of the crash.

“From our point, it felt like they just hit the brakes real hard and then let up on them because it was just sort of a jolt,” he said. “It didn’t shake us out of our seats or anything like that.”

Cramer said he and his wife, Kris, were in the last car, which meant they were near the closest exit to the damaged truck once the train stopped. He said several Republican lawmakers who are doctors, including Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Brad Wenstrup, tried to jump into action to help the injured.

Cramer said the train was back on the move by early Wednesday afternoon toward Charlottesville, Va., where lawmakers planned to be bused to the retreat.