Two men face 7 federal charges after authorities say they parked a Kia on train tracks in Allendale County, causing an Amtrak train to derail, then came back and claimed they were injured in the crash.
Prosecutors said 33-year-old James Love and 34-year-old Deon Roberts were indicted last week on charges of fraud and causing a train wreck. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday in Columbia after they were arrested.
The indictment says the men parked a stolen 2013 Kia on the tracks, then left until an Amtrak train crashed into it. Authorities say Love got back into the damaged car and Roberts laid down near it, both claiming to be severely injured.
The crash happened around 4 a.m. Sept. 6 on Barkers Mill Pond Road. At the time, 2 men were airlifted to Georgia Regents Medical Center, although now it’s unclear what injuries they actually sustained.
The car was reported stolen out of Varnville, S.C., WRDW-TV reported.
None of the 128 passengers on the Amtrak train were hurt. Court records didn’t list a lawyer for either man.
— Info from The Associated Press and WJBF-TV
