MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 NEWS) - When you see a train blaring through town you may wonder why anyone would ever attempt to beat it.
"It's common sense you can't beat a train," said Mer Rouge police chief Mitch Stephens. "Eventually you may be able to get through the crossing, but if you continue to do it, you're going to get hurt. "
In the past this railroad crossing was known for being one of the most dangerous in the state. It has cross arms but that doesn't stop tragedy from happening on the track.
"We were plagued with so many people trying to beat this crossing," said Stephens. "That a lot of times the arms would come down on the vehicle and they would just break through them, break the arms off. Some cars, 18 wheelers, it didn't matter."
Flowers still remain on the tracks where a baby and two women - one of them nine months pregnant, were killed last month.
"The van ran the stop sign," said Stephens. "And stopped on the tracks in front of the train."
Union Pacific now has a video camera at the main cross section in town - and police are hoping to use it to stop reckless drivers.
"The camera is set up to where we should be able to read the license plates and possibly see the driver," said Stephens. "And if we're able to see the vehicle and the driver we will issue a citation on it."
Tuesday, June 18 2013 2:01 PM EDT2013-06-18 18:01:27 GMT
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Monroe Police and Ouachita Parish Deputies continue to investigate multiple shootings, a murder and a weekend stabbing in the parish.
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Monroe Police and Ouachita Parish Deputies continue to investigate multiple shootings, a murder and a weekend stabbing in the parish.
Wednesday, April 3 2013 3:18 PM EDT2013-04-03 19:18:47 GMT
UPDATE: KNOE 8 News has learned an account to assist the family of Wednesday morning's double fatal fire has been established Ouachita Independent Bank.
UPDATE: KNOE 8 News has learned an account to assist the family of Wednesday morning's double fatal fire has been established Ouachita Independent Bank.
State and local police spent hours at the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday night as another group of officers searched an industrial park about a mile away where a body was discovered...
State and local police spent hours at the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday night as another group of officers searched an industrial park about a mile away where a body was discovered the day...
The Jefferson Economic development Commission says it has revamped its policies after questions emerged in 2012 about its executive director's residency, expense filings and use of email for political purposes.
The Jefferson Economic development Commission says it has revamped its policies after questions emerged in 2012 about its executive director's residency, expense filings and use of email for political purposes.
