Deputy vehicle hit by a train

A deputy with the Midland County Sheriff's Office was involved in a train collision Tuesday while responding to an emergency call, Sheriff Gary Painter said.

He said the officer was responding to a distress call for a child who was having trouble breathing.

The railroad crossing signal was working and signaled a coming train, Painter said, but the officer made the decision to cross anyway. Painter said the officer did not see the train coming.

The deputy's vehicle, an SUV, was crossing the railroad tracks just as one train just passed through the intersection. When the vehicle was crossing a second set of tracks, it was hit on the driver's side by the train, according to video of the incident provided to the Reporter-Telegram.

Painter said the officer is at Midland Memorial Hospital and is "banged up," but was still "walking and talking."

The child involved in the distress call received help and also was taken to the hospital, Painter said.

The Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident.