UPDATE (November 21, 2022): Sources have identified the man killed in this accident as 82-year-old Oscar Valdez. Investigators say Valdez was returning from tending to cows on his private property when the collision with the Amtrak train occurred.

Moody, TX — November 16, 2022, a man died when his vehicle was hit by a train along State Highway 317 in Moody.

Authorities say the incident happened around 4:30 p.m. on tracks near TX-317. Investigators are still trying to work out what happened but say the victim's vehicle was on the tracks when it was struck by an Amtrak train, later identified as Texas Eagle Train 22, that was passing through the area.

The car's driver died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.

Commentary on Oscar Valdez Accident in Moody

UPDATE (November 21, 2022): Investigators seems to have established why the victim was traveling in the area at the time, but many of the questions I asked originally still seem to be hanging unanswered in the air. I hope authorities are working on getting more answers for the family of a man described as a beloved local fixture and business owner.

After years of watching local police letting critical information slip through the cracks, though, I have some misgivings about exactly how much care they will (or can afford to) take. I often recommend an independent investigation be conducted as well to make sure no vital details get away. At the very least Mr. Valdez' loved ones deserve to know no stone was left unturned.

ORIGINAL: With a crash like this it's easy for people to jump to conclusions, as trains are generally easy to see coming and their paths are fairly predictable. Since the victim was unable to avoid the one in Moody, however, it's important to find out precisely why not and make no assumptions before the facts can tell the story. That means finding out how and why the car got onto the tracks to begin with, the state of the driver's health, how visible the vehicle was to the train's operators, if anything blocked the victim's view of the approaching train, whether the train could realistically have stopped before hitting him, and many other important details. The victim's loved ones deserve no less than the truth; anything else would depend in large part on what that truth is.