Stuck big rig struck by train

An apparent miscalculation Friday afternoon, Oct. 12, led to a pair of wrecks just west of Beaumont where Meeker Road meets Highway 90 near Cowboy Church on the Rock.

"An 18-wheeler got stuck on the railroad track on a no-through roadway for 18-wheelers or bobtails," said Deputy Rod Carroll, spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. "Because there is a high center of gravity at that crossing, the trailer bottomed out. He got stuck, and our patrol unit pulled up. We tried making contact with the railroad but did not have enough time. The deputy was able to get the driver to exit the vehicle, and then the vehicle was struck by the train."

As traffic slowed and onlookers gathered, a minor rear-end collision occurred.

"We had the 18-wheeler train wreck going on," said Department of Public Safety Trooper Stephanie Davis. "We had police cars on the shoulder, police cars and fire trucks in the right lane of westbound Highway 90. The Ford pickup was driving along, starting to slow down in the left lane because he saw the police vehicles, and (Melanie) Gray ran right into the back of him." Jesse Godoy, 33, of Beaumont was driving the 2002 Ford F150 pickup, DPS said. In the 2006 Buick SUV were the driver, Melanie Gray, 33, of China; Gabriel Gray,14; Kenzie Gray,10; and Bailey Gray, 8.

Melanie, Gabriel, and Kenzie were transported by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Hospital with minor, non-life-threatening injuries. Bailey was not injured and was taken home by her father.