Imagine the horrific scene: A northbound Blue Line train, fresh from Vernon Station in South L.A., is climbing to 30, 35, then 50 miles per hour — when, from around the bend, the Metro driver spots a minivan stuck in the train's direct line of travel.

That's how things went down last night, between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., after the driver and a passenger of the minivan jumped out of their vehicle because it had stalled on the tracks. Sheriff's Lieutenant Suzan Young of the Transit Services Bureau told City News Service that the driver was booked on suspicion of drunk driving.

A map of the accident location:


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The man was turning onto Long Beach Avenue from 41st Street when he became struck on the tracks.

Eight of the train's passengers were taken to the hospital after complaining of neck and back pain; two were believed to be in critical condition. Another sergeant told CBS2 that the train's damages would cost almost $20,000 to repair. Watch the report here:

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