Police and dispatchers help wrong way driver during medical emergency who drove down train tracks

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    OLATHE, Kansas (KCTV) — Olathe police and Johnson County dispatchers had to act fast Friday morning to save a wrong way driver who drove down train tracks as two oncoming trains came toward him near Northgate and Woodland Street.

Someone called 911 to report a driver was driving the wrong way on 119th Street around 4:50 a.m. Friday. Police found the driver right as they turned and started driving down the railroad tracks.

“Everyone knows that trains do not stop very easily,” Olathe Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Joel Yeldell said. “I’ve been involved in cases were there have been tragedies on railways.”

The alert person started the chain of events that likely prevented a tragedy Friday by making that call to 911 dispatchers. When dispatchers first alerted police they told officers a gray Nissan with no lights on was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes near 119th Street and Ridgeview.

Police found the vehicle just in time. Dispatch audio recorded the first officers arriving.

“It’s going on the train tracks northbound. I’m next to it,” the officer told dispatchers. “You need to get the train stopped. It’s still driving on the train tracks. There is a train coming.”

As dispatchers called BNSF Railway dispatchers to stop two oncoming trains, the police officers drove alongside the driver trying to get their attention to stop driving. The driver’s car got stuck on the tracks.

“The train has not stopped coming from the other way it’s going to hit this car,” an officer told dispatchers.

The confused driver didn’t immediately get out of their vehicle. Police rushed to get them to safety.

“When it came to a rest on the on the railroad tracks, obviously that’s when things get really tense,” Yeldell said. “They were able to remove that person from the car just moments prior to the train rolling by.”

The driver, who appeared to have a medical emergency while driving, was taken to the hospital to be checked out and is expected by okay.

“Once we were able to get that person out of the car it was very apparent, even with some of the bracelet and necklaces that the person was wearing to identify the specific medical issue as well,” Yeldell said.

Police say Johnson County dispatchers have BNSF dispatchers on speed dial in case of an emergency like the one that unfolded Friday morning.

“Luckily, they were contacted with enough headway and lead time and were able to get the train stopped,” Yeldell said

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