It was a hobby that didn’t get old. On weekends, Dave and Ethan Mortensen of Cedar Rapids would seek out a spot near railroad…
It was a hobby that didn’t get old.
On weekends, Dave and Ethan Mortensen of Cedar Rapids would seek out a spot near railroad tracks where they could watch trains pass.
“Ethan would watch trains, and my dad would read books,” older brother Jacob Mortsensen said. “He could watch trains for hours.”
Ethan, 32, had a developmental disorder, but was becoming increasingly independent, Jacob said. He moved out of his father’s house and was learning to drive.
Authorities believe the father and son were watching trains and practicing driving April 14, when their SUV ended up on the tracks. It was struck by a train traveling around 60 mph.
The crash killed them both.
“It’s a very tragic accident,” Cedar Rapids police spokesman Greg Buelow said.
Buelow said an investigation determined Ethan’s inexperience as a driver was likely a factor in the crash, but police may never know exactly what caused him to lose control of the vehicle.
The Chevrolet Equinox left the parking lot of the Tait Cummins Sports Complex and crossed a ditch before reaching the train tracks.
There are no fences or barriers between the adjacent parking lot and the tracks, Buelow said.
Jacob said the sports complex parking lot was a location his father and brother would often visit to watch the trains together.
The crash occurred just a day after another fatal car versus train crash near Burlington, where three women were killed while crossing a train crossing controlled only by a stop sign.
