BESSEMER CITY, N.C. — A driver narrowly escaped disaster at a railroad crossing Thursday before a train plowed into her car in Bessemer City.
"I feel blessed to be alive," Dewau Gist said.
She had just left her house and started across the tracks on Ramsuer Road.
"Traffic was flowing so smooth, you know?" Gist said.
A truck that was in front of her stopped and she up close to the rear of the trailer in tow.
That is when she heard the train-crossing rail come down behind her.
She thought the truck ahead of her would move up.
"I was hoping I would be able to get out," Gist said.
Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a train bearing down on her and she froze.
"I'm stuck," Gist said. "I was stuck mentally. I didn't know what to do being in that type of situation."
She got out of the car on the driver's side as the train was barreling toward her, Gist said.
The officer who saw video of the crash from the engineer's point of view said it was so close that he couldn't tell she got out in time.
"It was close -- just shock," she said.
The train hit the Dodge on the driver's side, pushing it about 30 feet.
"I couldn't believe it," Gist said.
Police charged Gist with obstructing the path of a train, a misdemeanor.
Gist said she can pay the fine, and replace the car and is happy that it wasn't worse.
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