Man killed in crash involving train carrying GOP lawmakers identified

At least one person on a dump truck was killed after it was struck by a train carrying members of Congress to a GOP policy retreat on Wednesday.

The County of Albemarle Police Department identified the man who was killed as Christopher Foley, 28, of Louisa County.

The collision happened about 11:20 a.m. in Crozet, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Washington, tearing the truck in two, crumpling the nose of the locomotive and scattering trash alongside the tracks, according to the Associated Press.

A National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said investigators will spend several days at the Virginia site of the crash.

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday night, NTSB spokesman Earl Weener said he doesn't expect the agency to release a probable cause of the deadly crash for several months.

Responding to reports from nearby residents that crossing equipment had been malfunctioning, Weener said signal experts would be looking at the safety of the crossing.

Along with the fatality, there was a serious injury to another person on the truck.

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said there are no serious injuries among the members of Congress, though staff for Rep. Jason Lewis of Minnesota said he is being treated "per standard concussion protocol" at a local hospital.

"I'm fine compared to, tragically, the truck drivers, and thankful for the prompt action of our doctors and first responders," Lewis said in a statement. "My thoughts are with the family of the individual who passed away."

The University of Virginia Health System said three patients have been transported to UVA Medical Center, and two additional patients are being transported there. One patient is critical, while the others are being evaluated.

Rep. Roger Marshall, a doctor who represents Kansas' 1st District, said the train "carrying members and spouses hit something." Marshall performed CPR to the train conductor, according to his office. Other doctor-lawmakers who helped included Reps. Michael Burgess, of Texas, Phil Roe of Tennessee, Larry Bucshon of Indiana, Roger Marshall of Kansas and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

Rep. Jeff Denham tweeted a photo of the front of the train, which is scratched and dented but mostly intact. The truck was destroyed, however, with the front separated from the back and trash scattered all over the scene.

Rep. Geg Walden via AP

"Today's incident was a terrible tragedy," said House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was aboard the train. "We are grateful for the first responders who rushed to the scene and we pray for the victims and their families. May they all be in our thoughts right now."

Rep. Bruce Poliquin

Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota was conducting a live interview with a local radio station when the accident occurred.

“Oh, Jesus, sorry about that, we hit a bump here,” he told AM 1100 The Flag, a station in Fargo, North Dakota. Later, he described the truck’s wreckage and said, “Valuable lesson, people. Do not challenge a train at a crossing.”

The train was taking the lawmakers to a Republican retreat at The Greenbrier, a resort in West Virginia on the border with Virginia. They will take charter buses the rest of the way to the retreat, and Vice President Mike Pence was expected to speak Wednesday night.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who is in frequent legislative battles with her Republican colleagues, said she is "praying that all are well both on the train and off."

Benny Layne, on whose property the truck landed, said the crossing arms had been known to malfunction, sometimes coming down even though no train was approaching. Sometimes, he said, they stayed down for hours.

He said motorists would get out of their cars to help guide other motorists around the malfunctioning arms so they could cross the tracks.

Carrie Brown, human resources manager at Buckingham Branch Railroad, which leases the stretch of track and is responsible for maintenance, said she was unaware of any problems with equipment at the crossing.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.