Authorities in Lauderdale County are investigating a collision between a train and a vehicle that killed a Lauderdale County man Sunday morning. 

A Nissan SUV was at the Bronson Road crossing off Highway 11 South, south of Meridian, when it was struck by a Norfolk Southern freight train, according to Sgt. Clifford Holloway with the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department.

The victim was identified as Leroy Gray, 81, of Lauderdale County, Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said Sunday afternoon.

There were no other occupants in the vehicle, deputies said.

The vehicle ended up approximately 50 yards from the crossing in a swampy area below the train tracks. 

No one on the train was hurt, authorities said. 

Deputies said they received a call about the crash at 8:06 a.m. 

Investigators believe the victim drove around lowered railroad crossing gate arms. 

“They were down when we arrived,” Holloway said. “We have no reason to believe that they were not down at the time of the collision.”

Norfolk Southern employees were also at the scene of the accident.

Deputies estimated the crash happened approximately 1.5 miles from an ungated train crossing where two people in a vehicle were killed in a collision with an Amtrak train in July. 

That collision happened south of Arundel Road when the vehicle was exiting the driveway of a local business, attempting to enter Highway 11, Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said.