toxicology report shows the driver of a car carrying three people – including a 12-year-old Hardeeville girl – who pulled in front of a speeding Amtrak train in November had cocaine and marijuana in her system, Hardeeville police said.
The investigation surrounding the Nov. 16 death of the driver, Nancy Ratliff, 27, has been closed, said Hardeeville Chief Richard Nagy.We’ve reviewed the toxicology report, and it reveals the driver had cocaine and marijuana in her system,” he said.
Earlier in the week, police met with the families of the four killed in the city’s worst train accident, Nagy said Wednesday.
Also killed in the collision were front-seat passenger Jason Scott, 33, and rear passengers Melissa Thomas, 35, and Taylor Arnsdorff, 12. All were from Hardeeville.
Ratliff tried to go around a crossing arm at the intersection of Main Street (S.C. 46) and U.S. 17 in downtown Hardeeville.The vehicle was struck in the passenger side by the No. 89 southbound Palmetto train, which began its journey in New York City and ended in Savannah, police said.
The train – estimated to have been traveling at the track’s speed limit of 79 mph at the time of the collision – pushed the car for about one mile down the track before coming to a stop.
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