A 61-year-old man was killed Dec. 21 when he drove his car into a moving train in Santa Ana, California.

Santa Ana Police Department Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told The Epoch Times that witnesses at the scene saw a Caucasian man sitting in a white Chevrolet sedan in the train station parking lot near South Grand and East Hunter avenues around 12:30 p.m. before he pulled the car out of the lot, driving past the downed crossing gate and onto the railroad tracks.

A passing mile-long freight train struck the front of the car, killing the driver. Authorities have not yet identified the victim.

Police said they don’t know whether the man intentionally struck the train or not. Detectives are still working to determine a reason for his driving onto the tracks.

“[He] was either trying to beat the train or strike the train,” Bertagna said.

The train suffered minor damage after striking the car.

“The train probably went another half a mile before it stopped,” said Bertagna.

Police closed South Grand Avenue from East Chestnut Avenue to East McFadden Avenue until further notice as the investigation proceeded.