NATALBANY – Louisiana State Police have identified two 23-year-old men as the victims who died in a collision with a train north of Hammond Tuesday.

State Police said the crash claimed the lives of Colton Williams, 23, and Justin Lang, 23. Both were residents of Tickfaw.

The wreck occurred at the rail crossing on Highway 1064 in the Tangipahoa Parish community of Natalbany.

According to State Police, the crash occurred sometime before 2:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. For reasons still unknown, police said Williams, the driver of a vehicle, drove around the crossing arms that had been activated to block drivers for the approaching train.  As the vehicle maneuvered around the crossing arms, it was hit on the left side by the southbound Amtrak train and pushed nearly 125 yards, according to police. 

Both Williams and Lang were severely injured. They were both pronounced dead on the scene by the Tangipahoa Parish Coroner’s Office.

Sixty-eight people were on the train when the crash happened. No one on the train was injured.  

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