Shocking moment 'reckless' lorry driver ploughs into level corring barriers

This is the moment a 'reckless' lorry driver risked crashing into an oncoming train after he ploughed into barriers at a level crossing.

Tencho Hristov, 30, from Lincolnshire, has been jailed for eight months after he drove onto the tracks despite a train approaching at the crossing near Roydon station in Essex on June 21.

British Transport Police (BTP) has released shocking CCTV footage of the incident, which shows the Hristov drive straight onto the crossing and crash the side of his truck into the falling barrier.

As the lorry becomes stuck, a train can be seen coming to an abrupt halt on the track nearby, with BTP warning the train could have hit the truck “at any minute”.

Hristov then inspected the damage to his lorry without ringing the emergency services before driving away, police added.

He was sentenced to eight months in prison and handed a two-and-a-half-year driving ban at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, September 14.

Hristov had been found guilty the previous day of one count of obstructing any engine or carriage using the railway by an unlawful act, a wilful omission or neglect, and one count of failing to report a road accident.

Inspector Steve Webster, from BTP, said: “Because of Hristov’s recklessness, there was a very real risk that the approaching train could have collided with the truck.

“Instead of calling the emergency services – like a sensible person would – or even moving his vehicle to safety, he remained on the tracks, inspecting his vehicle, when a train could have collided with him at any moment.”