Authorities Investigate Deadly Vehicle-Train Crash In Laramie County

The Laramie County Sheriff's Office says a 45-year-old Burns man was killed on Friday, November 28, when his pickup ran into the side of a train in eastern Laramie County.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Brandon Warner says that deputies were called out around 5:21 p.m. on Friday on a report of a crash involving a pickup and a train. The train was sitting stationary across County Road 154 just north of Interstate 80. The railroad crossing gate was down and the railroad crossing warning lights were flashing when a pickup that was northbound on Road 154 ran into the side of the train.

The driver of the pickup, 45-year-old John Balczewski, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. Warner says he was declared dead at the scene.

The Investigation Of The Crash Is Ongoing

What caused the collision remains unknown at this time. Warner told Townsquare Media "Details leading up to the crash are currently being investigated. We're not able to make a determination at this time."

The crash scene was documented by sheriff's deputies trained in crash scene investigation and they are continuing to try to learn more about the fatal collision, according to Warner.