Update (December 29, 2025): Authorities have identified the man killed in this accident as Waco resident Bryan Fernandez, 19.
Lacy Lakeview, TX — September 23, 2025, one person was killed in a train accident at about 8:20 p.m. at the crossing on U.S. Route 77 Business/New Dallas Highway.
Authorities said a vehicle was headed south when it collided with a train north of Meyers Lane. The vehicle was dragged about 200 feet.
The vehicle’s driver, whose name has not been made public yet, died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
No other injuries were reported.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the McLennan County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people hear about a vehicle getting hit and dragged 200 feet by a train, the first reaction is often disbelief, followed by a lot of unanswered questions. Chief among them: How does something like this even happen in 2025? With crossing arms, warning lights and train horns, isn’t the whole point of railroad safety to prevent this exact kind of collision?
Unfortunately, the details released so far don’t explain much. We know a vehicle was heading south on U.S. 77 Business when it collided with a train. We also know the crash happened around 8:20 p.m., well after dark. Beyond that, key facts are missing, and those gaps matter a great deal if we’re trying to understand whether this was a tragic fluke or the result of someone’s failure.
First, it’s not clear whether this crossing had working lights, gates or bells. Not every railroad crossing is created equal. Some are equipped with state-of-the-art protection systems, others with little more than a yield sign. If this location lacked proper signals, or if they failed to activate, that would raise serious concerns about railroad liability.
On the other hand, if the crossing protections were working and visible, then questions shift toward what the driver saw or didn’t see. Did they try to beat the train? Were they unfamiliar with the area? Did something obstruct their view? All of these are possibilities, but none can be confirmed without an investigation that includes things like dash cam footage, train engine control modules (which track things like horn use and braking) and video from the train itself, since many locomotives now carry forward-facing cameras.
And let’s not ignore the railroad’s role here. Was the train traveling at an appropriate speed for an area with public crossings? Did the conductor follow all required safety procedures before entering the crossing? Depending on the answers, this could look very different from a simple driver error.
Until those facts come to light, anyone assuming blame, either on the driver or the railroad, is getting ahead of the evidence. In cases I’ve handled involving train collisions, what ultimately made the difference was having access to black box data, signal logs and maintenance records for the crossing. That’s what tells the story, not speculation or finger-pointing.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s not yet clear whether the railroad crossing had working lights or gates, or if they failed.
- Investigators will need to review train data, crossing signal records and potential camera footage to understand what happened.
- Questions also remain about what the vehicle’s driver could see or react to at the time of the crash.
- Accountability depends on evidence, not assumptions, about how the crossing was designed, maintained and used.
