Texas Float Driver says Train Seemed Still Before Crash

The driver of a Texas parade float struck last year by a train, killing four military veterans and injuring others, has told federal investigators that the oncoming train appeared stationary to him.

Dale Hayden told National Transportation Safety Board investigators in documents released Wednesday that as he crossed the tracks Nov. 15, he focused on his left-side rearview mirror, looking for a bump in the intersection. As he looked through his right window, the oncoming train appeared to have stopped. He says another parade truck had a loud train-like horn that made it difficult to tell if the train was blowing its horn.

Hayden says as the train approached he looked in the rearview mirror and saw people jumping from the float.