Northwest Florida congressman Matt Gaetz was not aboard a train carrying Republican lawmakers which collided with a truck Wednesday in Virginia, Gaetz’s office confirmed.
The charter Amtrak train was carrying Republican members of Congress, family members, and aides to a party retreat in West Virginia when it collided with a garbage truck near Crozet, Va. around 11:20 a.m. Eastern time. At least one person has been killed as a result of the crash, the White House has confirmed, though there do not appear to have been any serious injuries to members of Congress or staffers.
At least 35 GOP lawmakers were aboard the train at the time of the collision, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. Gaetz, however, was not aboard the train and is not currently scheduled to attend the retreat at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., spokesman Kavontae Smalls said Wednesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to the site of the collision. The retreat will go on as planned, a GOP congressman told CNN.
