Mom, Children Escape Car Before It's Hit By Train

Tribune photo by GEORGE WILKENS

Anaiah Jenkins, 7, was given a teddy bear by firefighters after she escaped with her mother and brother from a car before it was hit by a train today.

By TBO.COM | Staff
Published: January 23, 2009

» Comments | Post a Comment

PLANT CITY --

A mother and her two children managed to get out of their immobilized car just before it was hit by an Amtrak passenger train today.

Their car was clipped by the train shortly after 4 p.m. at the crossing at Alexander Street just east of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Nikia Wynn of Plant City, driver of the four-door 1999 Chevrolet Lumina, was eastbound on Alexander when a burgundy-colored Jeep struck her car from behind.

"I saw that guy behind me, he had to be going at least 40, 45 mph," she said. "Next thing you know, he hit my car," pushing it onto the track, deploying the airbags and immobilizing it.

Wynn and her children, Anaiah Jenkins, 7, and Ajshoni Jamison, 10, all exited the car before it was hit by the train.

There was no damage to the train, which was delayed for nearly a half hour.