Two dozen people were cited by local law enforcement on Tuesday during a three-hour joint railroad crossing enforcement at Avenue D and Main and on 17th Avenue near the mall.
The Hutchinson Police Department, Reno County Sheriff’s Office and the Union Pacific Railroad conducted the effort from 8 to 11 a.m., using six officers. The city tickets, handled through municipal court, carry a fine of $119, while the county citations will cost motorists $313 in district court. “Most people know that it is illegal to drive around crossing arms,” Hirt noted. “It is also illegal, however, to proceed through a crossing while the gates are on their way up or down, or to proceed while the lights are still flashing or bells are still sounding. Even after the gates have lifted these still send the alarm that the crossing isn’t safe.”
(Read more: Local – The Hutchinson News)