Police: 2 dead after train hits truck in southern Illinois

ULLIN, Ill. (AP) - Two people were killed when a pickup truck pulled directly into the path of a train in far southern Illinois, police said.

The truck's driver had turned Tuesday morning onto a private lane in Pulaski County just before it drove onto a rail crossing and into the path of a northbound Canadian National Railway train, Illinois State Police said.

The train slammed into the truck about 11:30 a.m., pushing it about a half-mile (.8 kilometer) before stopping. The driver of the truck, Lanny Stocke, 76, of Carmi was killed, along with his passenger, Betty Stocke, 74, also of Carmi, The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale reported.

Police said the deadly collision occurred near the village of Ullin, located about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The crash remains under investigation.

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This story was first published on Feb. 24, 2021. It was updated on April 12, 2021, to correct the gender of one of the victims.