LAKELAND — A Lakeland woman survived walking into a moving CSX train on Kentucky Avenue on Monday afternoon.
About 3:15 p.m., witnesses said, Sheena Keynna, 27, of 1407 Kettles Ave., appeared to be texting as she walked north on Kentucky Avenue. Keynna walked around the crossing gates, which were down at the time, and into the freight train as it rolled through the crossing, police said.
Keynna “wasn’t paying attention,” said Sgt. Gary Gross of the Lakeland Police Department.
Gross said Keynna was clipped by the train and tossed into the air. She suffered a compound fracture to her right arm, and her right leg was injured, Gross said.
She was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center by Polk County Fire Rescue, but Gross said no additional information about her condition was available.
Kristin Seay, spokesperson for CSX, said the train had two locomotives and 27 rail cars carrying consumer goods and was traveling from Winter Haven to Jacksonville.
All train traffic in Lakeland was suspended for nearly two hours while CSX officials investigated the scene and ensured further train travel was safe, Seay said.
Lakeland Sgt. Dale Deas said two Amtrak passenger trains, one in Auburndale and one west of the Polk County line, were delayed during the investigation. The rail line was cleared for travel about 5:15 p.m.
Seay said accidents like Keynna’s happen too often.
“Accidents between trains and pedestrians or vehicles are all too common,” Seay said. “About every three hours somewhere in the U.S., a person or a vehicle is struck by a train. We urge drivers and pedestrians to use extreme caution around railroad tracks for their personal safety.”
Seay said CSX partners with Operation Lifesaver, an organization aimed at raising rail safety awareness, to enhance its safety outreach program.