Mokena Police Patrol Car Narrowly Misses Oncoming Train After Crossing Gate Fails to Lower

Mokena, Illinois, police officer Peter Stanglewicz and several other vehicles narrowly missed being struck by an oncoming passenger train on November 9 after the crossing guard rails failed to lower.

Dashcam footage recorded by Stanglewicz’s patrol car captured two other vehicles crossing the tracks just before the Metra train barreled through, and Stanglewicz was forced to swerve across the road’s median.

In his post on Facebook, Stanglewicz said: “Throughout my life, I’ve had very little luck. I’ve bought tons of raffle tickets, from little league tickets to charity raffles. Every lottery ticket was a loser. I just thought I wasn’t born with luck at all. Little did I know, I had luck, I was just saving it all up for the perfect time. Here is all my luck being used ALL AT ONCE. If I never win anything again, I’m perfectly fine with that.”

News reports said that the gate failed to lower because a railroad switch shorted. Credit: Mokena Police Department via Storyful