CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charges are pending against an ATV driver who police say tried to bypass light rail gates before being hit by a train in South End.
One person was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries on Monday night after a train hit an ATV. It happened near the corner of Camden Road and East Boulevard in South End.
Police say the ATV rider was not wearing a helmet, but alcohol and speed were not factors in the crash. Charges against him are now pending.
The latest crash comes just a month after a deadly incident involving a group of ATVs and dirt bikes. Now, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is releasing new information about Monday night’s incident.
CMPD says the ATV rider went around a stopped car and tried to bypass the security gates and lights along the light rail when he crossed into the path of the train.
He was hit by the train and rushed to the hospital.
“We heard the train screech,” one witness said. “It was pure metal on metal.”
Witnesses said they knew something was wrong right away. The ATV rider was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after the crash.
“There was a fellow on the ground,” a witness said. “He was in pretty rough shape.”
It comes just a month after a deadly incident involving a group of ATVs and dirt bikes on South Tryon.
“They started doing figure eights behind me,” Heather Perotti previously told NBC Charlotte.
During the incident, Perotti told NBC Charlotte she was punched by the driver of the car who was associated with the group of riders.
“(He) punched me in my ear and it rang my chimes a little bit for sure,” said Perotti.
Moments later, she said she snapped photos of the riders down the road at Bojangles at West Boulevard and South Tryon. As officers responded, the group of riders took off, and one of the dirt bike riders crashed. 33-year-old Michael Adams was taken to the hospital where he died.
“I do feel very badly for his family, but it's a choice, you have a choice to do this kind of thing,” Perotti said.
Perotti said she decided to speak out after seeing an NBC Charlotte story, which including video of at least 20 riders on Wilkinson Boulevard. They were popping wheelies, driving up the sidewalk, and tearing up property.
“It puts the public, it puts the rider, and it puts us in danger,” a CMPD representative said.