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Woman Is Issued Summons After Car Gets Stuck At Crossing In Chappaqua

This story has been updated

A Mount Vernon resident's car got stuck on the tracks Saturday at the Roaring Brook railroad crossing.

A Mount Vernon resident's car got stuck on the tracks Saturday at the Roaring Brook railroad crossing.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron
Numerous car accidents have occurred at this location, according to New Castle Police.

Numerous car accidents have occurred at this location, according to New Castle Police.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron
A month ago, six people were killed after a train collided with a car at a railroad crossing in Valhalla.

A month ago, six people were killed after a train collided with a car at a railroad crossing in Valhalla.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron
The red lights at a railroad crossing signal for cars to stop.

The red lights at a railroad crossing signal for cars to stop.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron
Cars wait at the Roaring Brook railroad crossing.

Cars wait at the Roaring Brook railroad crossing.

Photo Credit: Sam Barron

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. -- A Mount Kisco woman was issued a summons after her car got stuck on the railroad tracks at a Chappaqua railroad crossing Saturday morning.

Cynthia Parent, 67, was issued the summons for obstructing a highway railroad/grade crossing by Metropolitan Transit Authority Police.

According to Salvatore Arena, a spokesman for the MTA, Parent was heading westbound on Roaring Brook Road. When she tried to cross the railroad crossing, the gates activated and came down on her vehicle. Tarent backed up her car and went through the rear gate at around 10:50 a.m.

The incident occurred a month after a Metro-North train collided with a car in Valhalla, killing six people, including the driver.

This past week,  New Castle town officials and two members of Congress gathered near the same intersection to push for federal legislation to help with crossing safety. 

"She should not have been on the crossing," Arena said. "She violated the law."

Arena said Parent did the right thing by getting off the railroad tracks. MTA Police directed traffic until the gate was repaired at 1 p.m. Police also handled out 150 pamphlets on railroad safety, Arena said.

While police were directing traffic, two motorists did not stop and were also issued summons for a highway railroad/grade crossing, Arena said. Trains came through the area at a reduced speed, Arena said.

Supervisor Rob Greenstein issued a statement Saturday saying more needs to be done to make railroad crossings safer.

"It is clear that improvements to the Roaring Brook Road grade crossing and Saw Mill River parkway interchange are long overdue and urgently needed to prevent another tragedy from occurring," Greenstein said. Greenstein said according to New Castle Police Department records, over the past 10 years, problems with warning gates at the Roaring Brook Road grade crossing were reported 14 times and numerous car accidents have occurred at this location. In addition, Westchester County records indicate that 490 accidents have occurred at that interchange since 2006.

To read Daily Voice's initial report on the incident, published on Saturday, click here.

 

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