26 January 2010

Woman Recalls Close Call with Train

Bonnie Lahoski fled her Kia Sportage moments before
a freight train slammed into it Monday.

Beausejour Manitoba - A family near Beausejour, Man. is breathing a huge sigh of relief after a mother of three narrowly escaped a collision with a freight train.
 
At about 5:40 a.m. Monday, Bonnie Lahoski hopped into her Kia Sportage SUV to head to the dairy farm where she works.
 
She only made it to the railway crossing near her yard, about 50 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.
 
A vicious winter storm was pounding southern Manitoba and Lahoski's vehicle met up with a snowdrift and an ice-covered road.
 
She got stuck and couldn't get traction.
 
Then a CP Rail freight train started bearing down on the back end of the Sportage, which stuck out in its path.
 
"I noticed the train was coming from the west. Due to the visibility, I thought it was further away than what the reality was," she said. "My perception was blurred due to the blowing snow.
 
"When I took another look I thought, "oh no, the train is too close. And I just chose to get out of the vehicle and leave it."
 
The train slammed into the vehicle at the crossing, approximately six kilometres south of Highway 44 on St. Ouens Road, which is about 10 kilometres southeast of Beausejour, RCMP said.
 
"I didn't even think of being scared. Honestly, that didn't even cross my mind," Lahoski said. "I was just making a judgment call of looking at the scenario and saying, what am I going to do?"
 
Her husband, Jack, watched as she drove off that morning. Moments later he heard her screaming at the front door.
 
"The train, when it blew it's whistle, she was [already] at the door here and she says, Jack! That was probably the best words I ever heard because at least I knew she was safe," he said.
 
Vehicle Flipped, Spun
 
The train conductor told Lahoski the vehicle flipped several times and spun around before ending up next to the tracks.
 
Lahoski, while shaken, was unhurt.
 
"I'm really thankful that she's alive and she's here to still take care of us," said JaNae, the Lahoskis' 12-year-old daughter.
 
As for Lahoski, she feels bad about how much her collision will cost CP Rail.
 
"I feel so horrible. I cost CP probably a half a million dollars because I held that train that hit my car, plus I held up three other trains," she said, basing those facts on what the company has told her.