DASHCAM VIDEO: Police officer barely avoids being struck by Metra train in Mokena

MOKENA, Ill. (WLS) -- A police officer's dash cam captured the moment he narrowly avoided being hit by a Metra train at a crossing in south suburban Mokena.

The near-tragedy is being blamed on an electrical problem with the crossing gate. Multiple drivers have almost been hit at that crossing.

The now-viral dash cam video shows the officer's quick reaction, leaving Metra riders amazed.

"Cat-like reflexes," said Chris Blake, a Metra rider ABC7 showed the video to. "He was lucky that he did. It would be a lot different if that wasn't the case.

Mokena police said Officer Peter Staglewicz was driving on 191st Street in November when an inbound Rock Island Line train came speeding through the crossing. Warning lights can be seen flashing, but not until the moment when the train arrives. The warning gates also do not fall until the train arrives.

"That's definitely professional training and understanding of the roads and keeping an eye not just on what's in front of you but all the peripherals and everything like that," said Luke Beard, Metra rider.

It was also a close call for the driver in front of the Staglewicz.

Metra said the problem was an electrical short in the crossing gate. The equipment was repaired a few hours later, according to Metra, after precautions were taken to prevent future near-misses.

In posting the video on his Facebook page, Stanglewicz wrote he may have used a lifetime's worth of luck in that near-miss moment.

"He had really good instincts. That's good that he was able to do that because not many people have that type of instincts, like if it was somebody else, they easily could have gotten injured, said Melanie Frieh, Metra rider.

ABC7 Eyewitness News reached out to Stanglewicz but he did not return our messages. Mokena Police said the village is thankful no one was injured.