An Athens man — 33-year-old Luis Sanchez Cruz — was killed early Thursday when his car was struck by a CSX train at an unlighted railroad crossing with no crossbars in Limestone County.

Cruz was driving a 2008 Lexus IS250 when he was struck at the Laughmiller Road crossing two miles south of Athens about 6:45 a.m., according to Alabama State Troopers. Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers continue to investigate.

Limestone County Coroner Mike West said the train “T-boned” the car, which was apparently trying to cross the tracks, striking the driver’s-side door.

CSX spokeswoman Sheriee Bowman said a CSX train traveling between Nashville and Birmingham struck the car on the tracks near Laughmiller Road and U.S. 31. 

There were no injuries to the crew of the train, said Bowman, who said typically a train engineer cannot quickly stop a train to avoid a collision due to the train’s momentum.

The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident, but the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is conducting the investigation, said Stephen Young, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

Senior State Trooper Chuck Daniel, an ALEA spokesman, confirmed the fatality but said a press release would be issued later Thursday regarding the details of the accident.

“CSX is cooperating with local authorities as they conduct the investigation,” Bowman said. “Safety is CSX’s highest priority and our thoughts are with those impacted by this tragic event.”