Coroner’s office identifies woman whose SUV was crushed between two trains

Woman dies as SUV is hit by train

A Kia Sportage turned around on railroad tracks early in the morning of Aug. 22, 2018, in South Heidelberg Township, Berks County, was struck by a train and the SUV driver died, police say.Courtesy WFMZ Channel 69 News

The Berks County Coroner’s Office has identified the 41-year-old woman who died as the SUV she was driving was crushed Thursday morning between two trains in South Heidelberg Township.

Township resident Naomi Gonzalez died from blunt force trauma, the coroner’s office said. No autopsy was done. Her death was ruled an accident.

Gonzalez was behind the wheel of a Kia Sportage about 2:45 a.m. when she encountered a stopped train at the Krick’s Road railroad crossing, township police said. With the gate down and warning lights flashing, she backed onto the tracks while doing a three-point turnaround and another Norfolk Southern train on a parallel set of tracks hit the SUV and dragged it a half mile between the trains, destroying the vehicle, police said.

Gonzalez died at the scene.

South Heidelberg Township is about 45 miles southwest of Allentown.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

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