Officer rescues woman trapped on train tracks

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- An off-duty police officer rescued a driver trapped in a car that had flipped over onto train tracks.

Disaster almost struck late Tuesday at a Wilmington railroad crossing.

A 9-1-1 caller was heard saying:

“There’s one car. It just went off to the side and then clipped what looks like a jersey barrier next to the railroad tracks, then it flipped over right across the railroad tracks.”

The driver of that car, Nancy Canney, had apparently dozed off, flipping her Volvo.

As the car was lying across the tracks, the train began to approach the station.

Off-duty police officer Louis Martignetti happened to be driving by with his family. Martignetti rushed to the vehicle, grabbed her, and helped her out of the car.

Fortunately, the train conductor could see some commotion in front of him. He slammed on the brakes, stopping the train just 200 feet before the car.

Miraculously, Canney escaped without injury. Martignetti was back at work Friday.

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