One person in the truck was killed and another critically injured, while four people in the train were taken to the hospital, including U.S. Rep. Jason Lewis, R- Minnesota, a staffer and two Amtrak crew members.
Wenstrup and other doctors on the train assisted the injured.
Wenstrup, who was on the train with his wife and son, told Fox FOX News channel’s Your World With Neil Cavuto on Wednesday night that when the crash happened if felt like the train had driven over a boulder and people weren’t sure what had occurred.
“I looked over at my wife and son, and they were okay and then we realized out the window that we had hit a garbage truck, which was very mangled and off to the side of the road and down the hill a little bit. Then someone said there’s several guys on the ground. So as a doctor, I tried to get off as quickly as I could,” Wenstrup said in the FOX interview.
Wenstrup, a podiatric surgeon, said he and Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., who is also a doctor, ran out of the train.
“As we were running there, I asked the guy, I said, did you get a pulse? He said not on the one guy, and so Dr. Rowe and I kind of split up, and ultimately – we had about eight doctors with us – we started performing CPR on the one gentleman who unfortunately I believe he probably died instantly,” Wenstrup said. “The other gentleman I started taking care of was bleeding from his nose and around his mouth and was unconscious. So we maintained his airway and checked everything out with him.”
Credit: Drew Angerer
Credit: Drew Angerer
“He had a good heart rate going, and hopefully he’s going to be okay. No way to assess his internal injuries,” Wenstrup said.
Wenstrup also provided medical treatment to people injured in June at the Republican baseball practice in Alexandria, Va.
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U.S. Reps. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, and Warren Davidson, R-Troy, were traveling separately but not on the train. Davidson urged people to pray for the families of those involved in the crash.
Please pray for the family involved in today's tragic train accident. I chose to travel separately to the retreat instead of taking the train.
— Warren Davidson (@WarrenDavidson) January 31, 2018
The train , which was enroute to a Republican policy retreat, collided with the truck at about 11:20 a.m. in Crozet, Virginia, about 15 miles west of Charlottesville.
Jordan and Portman’s offices both released statements.
“Jane and I were on the train this morning traveling to the House and Senate Republican Member retreat. We are both fine,” Portman said in a news release issued by his office. “We are keeping those who were injured in our prayers and are grateful for the first responders who quickly arrived on the scene.”
We have heard from @senrobportman and his wife Jane. They were both on the train and are okay. Thank you all for your concern.
— Emily Benavides (@embena) January 31, 2018
“Congressman Jordan and his wife were on the train. They are both safe,” said Melika Willoughby, Jordan’s communications director.
The Republican policy retreat is held at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. and is an annual event.
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