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Man hit by circus train charged with reckless driving

Posted at 6:26 AM, Apr 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-19 13:45:53-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A man survived a scary ordeal overnight in Chesterfield County. His car was on railroad tracks along on Dupuy Road in Chesterfield when a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train slammed into the vehicle.

"The investigation indicates that a vehicle that was stopped on the tracks was struck by a train," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson said. "The vehicle was pushed some distance toward Branders Bridge Road."

The train was carrying circus animals, performers, and circus staff, according to Feld Entertainment spokesman Steven Payne.

It was headed from South Carolina to Massachusetts for a Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Legends show.

The train pushed the car, with the man inside, about a half a mile down the railroad track before it came to a stop, according to police.

The man in the car was taken to the hospital with injuries that were described as non-life threatening.

The driver, Teontrey Thomas, 22, of Clearfield Circle in Petersburg, was ticketed for reckless driving.

Police are now investigating why the man's vehicle was on the train tracks in the first place.

Anyone with additional information about this incident can submit a news tip here.

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