Information from Beverly Quick 02/17/2020. JFC

03/27/2021 update Date of death 1981

James Alan Davis

1952 – 1981

James A. Davis, 28, of 1419 Panama, died Thursday of injuries he sustained when his car was struck by a westbound freight train at the intersection of the Conrail tracks and Smith Street.

According to Mishawaka Police, Davis was apparently trying to drive around the lowered crossing guardarms when the accident occurred. The Conrail locomotive was traveling at 50 miles per hour when it struck the rear quarter of Davis’ car, dragging the vehicle about 500 feet west of Smith Street.

Police officer Paul F. Wilson found Davis about 30 feet from his car lying face down on the south set of tracks.

The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) ambulance, Civil Defense auxiliary police and rescue units from the Mishawaka Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.

Paramedic Ray Helmuth and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Cris Gautier were forced to carry their equipment between the train’s box cars to reach the victim.

Once the EMS squad got their equipment, EMT Cathy Hinkle drove the ambulance to the underpass and back to the victim on the south side of the tracks. The train had all crossings between Smith and Main streets blocked.

Davis’s lower right leg had been severed in the crash and he was suffering from multiple lacerations and fractures, according to EMS reports. He was taken to South Bend’s Memorial Hospital where he died an hour later of his injuries.

The fifth car train accident in Mishawaka this year, Davis is the first fatality. Since January there have been two accidents involving the Grand Trunk Western Railroad and three involving Conrail. Five people have been injured in car-train collisions thus far this year as opposed to two people last year.

The Conrail tracks had four of the five accidents during 1960 and both of last year’s car-train fatalities.

12/10/2021 DEC

12/09/2021 DEC

James Alan Davis

South Bend Tribune