Officials say man critically injured in Rathdrum Prairie train crash was trying to ‘beat the train’

The driver of a car hit by a Union Pacific train on the Rathdrum Prairie Thursday remains in critical condition at Kootenai Health hospital, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said.

Austin C. Wiseman, 18, of Hayden, was westbound on a service road parallel to the Union Pacific tracks. As the train approached, he accelerated the 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer he was driving in what appeared to be an attempt to “beat the train,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. When Wiseman reached Huetter Road, he turned south in front of the train without stopping, and the train crashed into his driver’s side.

The service road is a private road, and public use is not allowed, the sheriff’s office said.

The train was traveling an estimated 45 mph at the time of the crash, the sheriff’s office said.

The 15-year-old female passenger in Wiseman’s care was treated and released from Kootenai Health.