BILLINGS — Authorities responded to an incident involving a pedestrian being hit by a train on Saturday near Laurel Road and Parkway Lane, according to the Billings Police Department.
The crash was reported just before 3 p.m. Police, Billings Fire Department, the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office, and train officials were on scene investigating the incident.
Westbound traffic on Laurel Road was reduced to one lane during the investigation, but has now been reopened.
At this point, there is no word on the condition of the person who was hit.
Jason, a Three Forks resident, was stopped at a nearby light with his 13-year-old daughter when the incident unfolded.
"We were sitting at a light and just kind of out of my peripheral, there was a train coming," Jason said on an online web call Sunday. "I saw a person and then I saw somebody flying through the air."
Jason asked that MTN doesn't use his last name or identify his daughter, as it has been challenging for both of them to come to terms with what they saw.
"It took a minute to process it, to be honest," Jason said. "When he came to rest about 30 feet down the embankment, I was like 'Oh my god. Did that really just happen?'"
The road closure did not prevent other drivers from witnessing the aftermath. Stephanie Hiebert was traveling with her children when they came upon the scene after first responders had arrived.
"What I thought I saw was a car accident," Hiebert said Sunday afternoon.
As Hiebert got closer to the accident, she quickly learned that a vehicle was not involved.
"Me and my children, we seen that there was a person laying on the ground and there was a white sheet," Hiebert said. "You think about it and it's like how did this happen? Like was it intentional? It's just really sad."
The two families are just a couple examples of witnesses, who said that the incident has left a lasting impact.
"I pray for him. I pray for his family, and just you know…. Stuff like this shouldn't happen," Jason said.
We will update you if we get more information.
