By Susan Jacobson
Orlando Sentinel
EDGEWOOD. Fla. — A 32-year-old Orange County woman whose car was hit Thursday by a freight train while she was talking on her cell phone has died.
The crash happened about 2:30 p.m. at a crossing that has no gates or flashing lights — only a railroad-crossing sign, Edgewood police Chief Pete Marcus said. The city also has posted stop signs with warnings to look both ways for the train, Sgt. Vince Jackson said.
Dawn Ann Choma’s westbound silver Honda was hit on the passenger side by the southbound train, which was traveling at 37 mph, authorities said. She was talking to her brother on the phone at the time, Jackson said.
“Part of it was distraction,” he said. “We’re pretty sure of that at this point.”
Rescue workers got to Choma, the mother of a 6-year-old girl, quickly and transported her by ambulance to Orlando Regional Medical Center, said Orange County Fire Rescue spokesman John Mulhall. But she died at the hospital, police said. Investigators don’t know where Choma was going.
There have been two other train-vehicle accidents within a few miles of the crash site since March.