FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

A winery employee on her way to work at the Vignoble de Pomone in Coteau du Lac early Monday morning is fighting for her life after the pickup truck she was driving was struck by a Toronto-bound VIA Rail train.

Katherine Sauvageau, 35, was ejected from the vehicle before it was dragged by the train for several metres. She suffered life-threatening injuries, said the Sûreté du Québec.

The collision occurred at 7:45 a.m. at the level crossing near Rivière Delisle Sud Rd., according to the SQ. One side of the crossing is equipped with a gate, while the other side, where the crash occurred, is located on private land and does not have a drop-down barrier.

The passengers on the VIA Rail train 61 en route to Toronto remained on the train until 11 a.m., when it was given the green light by the SQ to continue its voyage.

In a press release, VIA Rail stated that “emergency services and local authorities were contacted and both tracks were closed during the investigation, causing delays of about three hours for Train 61 and about one hour and a half for trains 63 and 33,” adding no passengers were injured.

Sauvageau is a resident of Valleyfield and has worked at the winery for the past two years. She was on her way to work when she crossed the tracks, according to her sister-in-law Noémi Bouchard, who claimed the view of the tracks at the site is reportedly obstructed by trees.

“Luckily, she was ejected from the vehicle before it was destroyed,” Bouchard said.