Man killed in Amtrak passenger train crash, sedan got stuck in stop arms

A driver was killed Thursday night when his vehicle was struck by an Amtrak train.

Shortly before 8:30 p.m., officers with the Durham Police Department responded to the crash near the intersection of Peabody and Driver streets.

Police said the driver of a black Audi sedan got stuck in the stop arms, and his vehicle was struck by an Amtrak Piedmont passenger train.

The train and Audi stopped several hundred yards from the intersection. The Audi caught fire after the crash and was resting against one of the rail cars.

Charles Everett Hightower, 52, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers on the train were treated for minor injuries.

Passengers occupied the Amtrak train at the time of the crash but all were able to exit.

Around midnight, Amtrak said on X that Train 78 was terminated in Durham and will provide alternate transportation through Raleigh.