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Husband and Wife Escape Seconds Before Train Destroys Van

Police say the driver was on Salem Street in downtown Thomasville when the stop arms came down just as the Chrysler van was going over the tracks.

THOMASVILLE, NC (WFMY) - A scary moment happened for one couple traveling through Thomasville Sunday when their van was obliterated by a train just seconds after they were able to escape unharmed.

Police say Natividad Bustos was driving down Salem Street in downtown Thomasville when the stop arms came down just as the Chrysler van was going over the tracks. Bustos, a 37-year-old Winston-Salem man, got flustered and panicked, stopping the car between the stop arms according to police.

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Police say Bustos didn't have a driver's license.

Video shows the two escaping just in time before the train collided with the van. Police got the call just before 11:30 a.m.

"Thank God he made the right choice," said John Elgin with Thomasville Police. "A vehicle can be replaced. A life can't."

Bustos was given two citations for No Operator's License and Obstruction of Railroad Crossing. There were no injuries in the crash.

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