Rep. Norman, GOP lawmakers ‘knocked around’ in deadly Virginia train crash
York County congressman Rep. Ralph Norman was on the train that crashed into a garbage truck Wednesday morning south of Charlottesville, Va., but was not injured.
One person died in the crash, the Associate Press reported from the White House.
Norman said he was sitting down when the train took a “pretty bad hit” at about 11:15 a.m. He said the people standing in the aisle were “knocked around.”
Norman said he was near the front of the train and could see a garbage truck split in two. He said one of the first train cars was derailed in the wreck.
He said it was a “pretty bad scene.”
Norman said he could see several people on the ground near the crashed truck.
“The families of those guys ought to be in our thoughts and prayers,” he said.
I am on the train in WV that was involved in an accident, I am okay. I am praying for those injured.
— Ralph Norman (@RepRalphNorman) January 31, 2018
The train was carrying GOP lawmakers heading to a Republican retreat in West Virginia. Norman said the lawmakers are now on buses for the remaining four-hour drive.
Norman said this is his first Republican retreat.
No one on the train has been reported injured.
“Everybody’s just sad really,” he said. “It happened so quick. It was hard.”
Hannah Smoot: 803-329-4068
This story was originally published January 31, 2018 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Rep. Norman, GOP lawmakers ‘knocked around’ in deadly Virginia train crash."