Hearing tires squealing as a silver van rounded a corner from Adams Street onto East 13th Avenue, a witness says he watched as the van never appeared to slow for an oncoming train, which struck the van, sending it spinning before it came to rest against a utility pole Wednesday.

Rukata Sadiki, 59, of Bowling Green, was the driver and only occupant of the van at the time of the collision, Bowling Green Police Department spokesman Officer Ronnie Ward said.

Sadiki was taken to The Medical Center, where he was treated in the emergency room and released.

A witness to the collision declined to provide his name. He works at Jimmy’s Auto Repair & Detailing next to the CSX tracks.

There are no gates at that location, but the red flashing lights were on and remained on even after the van struck the railroad crossing light pole, knocking it to the ground.

“Witnesses told police all crossing warnings were active and the train had sounded a horn,” Ward said in an email.

The witness said: “He tried to beat the train. I was standing next to my truck. I heard the horns. He sped up, never hit the brakes. I seen the train hit him. It spun his (vehicle) around.

“I asked him eight times if he was OK,” the witness said. “He never answered.”

The Pontiac Montana SV6 was traveling west on East 13th Avenue before being hit by the train, Ward said.

Sadiki was conscious immediately after the collision, Ward said.

Sadiki’s vehicle sustained heavy front and back end damage and damage to the driver’s side door when the car came to rest on a utility pole that was moved about 4 inches in the ground by the impact of the collision. A tow truck used a cable system to pull the van away from the utility pole so the vehicle could be loaded onto a flatbed truck.

Police did not issue any citations as a result of the collision. 

There were no skid marks on the ground anywhere near the point of impact. Others who live and work in the area said people drive fast along East 13th Avenue in an attempt to get airborne on the hill leading up to the tracks.