Staff report
A Sanford man’s effort to visit a Salisbury club ended badly when a train destroyed his car.
Salisbury Police charged Sawn Edwin Williams II, 47, of 3125 Hickory Hill Drive, Sanford, with driving while impaired.
Police responded to a call around 1:30 a.m. Saturday that a Norfolk Southern train had struck a 2006 Silver Chrysler Sebring, pushing it to a concrete platform at the Salisbury train station.
Williams and others in the car had gotten out before the collision.
Williams told Officer J.G. Thompson that he was trying to find Club 315 on Council Street. After finding the club, he tried to find the parking area. At that point he made a right turn onto the railroad tracks and apparently drove more than 300 feet before realizing he was on the tracks.
He stopped and attempted to back up.
At that point, the vehicle slipped and caught on one of the I-beams.
Hearing and seeing an approaching southbound train, Williams and his friends got out of the car.
Police found two broken bottles of alcohol in the wreckage of the vehicle, with the seal previously opened.
Williams had a .12 blood alcohol level. He was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under $1,500 bond.
His vehicle was a total loss. The train was damaged an estimated $1,500.