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SUV passenger dies in Plant City when driver loses race to beat freight train

 
Published May 1, 2016

PLANT CITY — An SUV whose driver was trying to beat a CSX freight train across a roadway Saturday was struck by the train, killing his passenger.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the crash occurred at the railroad crossing for Candis Road near Paul Buckman Highway at 4:05 p.m.

A 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Bruce Dean, 19, of Plant City was traveling westbound on Candis, trying to beat a southbound train, when the train struck his vehicle on the passenger side. The train pushed the vehicle off the tracks into a ditch, where it overturned on the driver's side, the Sheriff's Office said.

The passenger, Angel Fidel Garcia-Vera, 20, also of Plant City, was killed. Dean was taken to Tampa General Hospital with serious injuries.