Chowchilla man killed when train struck pickup identified

A man killed over the weekend when a train struck his vehicle was identified Tuesday as Augustine Alvarez, the Merced County Coroner’s Office reported.

Alvarez, 44, of Chowchilla died Saturday when his 1992 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was struck by a freight train on Santa Fe Avenue north of Marguerite Road, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release.

The CHP responded to the crash about 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

Officers said Alvarez was driving north on Santa Fe Avenue approaching the railroad crossing when his vehicle veered off the roadway for unknown reasons. The front portion of the truck became stuck on the tracks.

Exactly how long the vehicle had been stuck on the tracks remains unclear, the CHP said.

There were no passengers in the pickup, officers said. Alvarez was inside the vehicle when it was struck by the northbound train. He suffered unspecified injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The CHP said the cause of the incident remained under investigation Tuesday.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the CHP office in Atwater at (209) 356-2956. Tips are confidential and callers may remain anonymous.

This story was originally published November 4, 2014 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Chowchilla man killed when train struck pickup identified."