By Daniel Nash | The Courier-Herald

A grain train struck a vehicle that was left on the railroad tracks near Sumner early Sunday morning.

Sumner police responded to a call at 1:17 a.m. and found a man’s body a short distance from the site of the wreck, which occurred on the Thompson Overpass.

It is not known what the vehicle was doing on the tracks, city Communications Director Carmen Palmer said. Initial observation suggests that the wreck was intentional, but investigations are ongoing.

On Monday, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Gary Stark, 55, of Pacific. An autopsy is planned to determine how and why he died.

Stark was apparently thrown from the vehicle. It was found about a tenth of a mile away from the site of the wreck. The train was a northbound freight engine owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

Following the wreck, one track was reopened shortly before 3 a.m. and the second line was opened about 90 minutes later, BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said.