“We’re looking into all possible reasons why someone would drive into a train,” he said. “We’re looking at things such as a significant distraction, vehicle defects, impairment and her medical condition.”
Arnold said problems with the van’s brakes have already been ruled out as they were found to be operational. The rail crossing was also fully-functional as the lights, bell and gate were operational as well at the time of the crash. In addition, there were no skid marks or any other signs of the driver taking evasive action to steer away from crashing into the train, he said.
“We’re also looking to retrieve the air bag module on the van which could give us some idea of the vehicle’s impact speed,” Arnold said.
“It’s all under investigation and what we determine will determine what charges will be filed against the driver,” he said.
However, according to one expert contacted by the Journal-News, a review of the 2002 Ford Econoline van involved in the crash may not provide much information.
Richard R. Ruth, of Washington, D.C., is retired after a 33-year career with the Ford Motor Co., where he worked in a variety of product engineering and product planning positions.
During the last 10 years of his career, he managed Ford Design Analysis Engineers that provided safety related technical analysis and field investigations of claimed safety defects. For the past several years, he has had his own consulting firm specializing in automobile restraint systems and crash reconstruction and reading and interpreting event data recorder information in vehicles.
Ruth said Ford began installing these modules or devices as early as 1997 on the Econoline vans.
“From 1997 to 2003, they were very limited and could only provide minimal information, about 70 milliseconds of data,” he said.
Ruth said starting in 2004, the devices were slightly better and have continued to improve and record to 100 to 150 milliseconds of data. He said the devices can now help give a rough idea of the vehicle’s impact speed and if the brake and/or accelerator pedals were pushed as part of a crash reconstruction.
Janice Martin, 64, of Middletown, died from blunt force trauma to her chest in the crash that also injured 10 others, including nine children ages four to 10. Ashley, the driver of the van, who is also the wife the church’s interim pastor, suffered substantial injuries, but is in stable condition at Atrium Medical Center.
Sgt. Brian Bost, of the Ohio Highway Patrol, which contracts with the city of Middletown to handle traffic crashes, said the driver of the gray 2002 Ford Econoline van and the nine children on-board were all wearing seatbelts and both the driver and front seat passenger airbags were deployed.
But Warren County Coroner Investigator Doyle Burke said Wednesday that Martin, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was not wearing a seat belt and that rescue crews found her on the floor board of the van.
Bost said the van was designed to transport 9 to 10 passengers, and there are no special licenses, such as a CDL, required to drive a van for a church. He said Ashley had a valid operator’s license.
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