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Tampa man narrowly escapes collision with train

 
Published April 1, 2015

ZEPHYRHILLS --- A train crushed the hood of a Tampa man's car Wednesday when he got trapped under a railroad crossing arm and panicked, Florida Highway Patrol troopers reported.

Clayton Leo Zwak, 75, was driving a 2011 Cadillac west on Melrose Avenue toward the railroad tracks at Old Lakeland Highway when he became befuddled by a maintenance truck doing work on the tracks, FHP spokesman Steve Gaskins said. His confusion worsened when the railroad crossing arm clamped down on the car's hood, Gaskins said.

Then the train barreled by.

"It just clipped the front of his car," Gaskins said. "He's lucky."

Zwak was not injured. Due to the circumstances, Gaskins said the man will not be charged with failure to yield to the train.