Leetonia cop helps woman whose car was stuck on railroad tracks

LEETONIA — Police Sgt. Rick Dattilio helped a woman escape injury after her car became stuck on railroad tracks about 9:45 p.m. Sunday

Chief John Soldano said Mary Davis, 64, of Youngstown, was working for a medical program and turned onto the tracks based on directions from her global positioning device.

The chief said she probably meant to turn right on to Front Street.

Her car became stuck. Dattilio told her to get out of the car several times, but she did not. He also called for trains to be alerted.

He eventually helped her out of the vehicle and got her to safety a few minutes before an eastbound train hit the car from the rear and pushed it down the tracks.

The chief said the vehicle was destroyed.

The investigation was turned over to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Trooper B.A. Canyon said Davis, a traveling nurse, was charged with failure to control for driving onto the tracks.