MESA, Ariz. — A light rail train was reportedly "knocked off" the track in downtown Mesa after a crash with a garbage truck Wednesday morning, police said.
According to Mesa police, the garbage truck had right of way and the light rail train ran a red light before hitting it.
The collision happened near Main Street and Robson. The truck was traveling north on Robson through a green light. All of the train's passengers exited the light rail and none appeared to be injured, Mesa police said.
"This was the loudest (crash), the biggest one that's we've had," said Jamin Martinez, a business owner along Main Street. "Cops were everywhere. It was an intense scene."
Witnesses told 12News they were surprised to learn the light rail could run red lights.
"We all thought the light rail was computerized and it would stop at every red light but it's actually manually done by a person," said Jonathan Nguyen, a business owner along Main Street.
The train's driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Traffic along Main Street in this area was restricted until the crash site was cleared.
Valley Metro said staff worked to restore light rail service as quickly as possible. Buses were temporarily being used as shuttles in this area.
Both Mesa Police and Valley Metro are conducting investigations into the crash.
12News reached out to Waste Connections of Arizona for comment and did not immediately get a response.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
UP TO SPEED
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.