Newly released video captured the moment the driver of an SUV escaped from an SUV just before the vehicle was smashed by a Utah Transit Authority (UTA) passenger train in Layton, Utah, last week.
The video, captured from inside the locomotive, showed the train barreling down the tracks toward a railroad crossing.
As the train approached the crossing, a white vehicle could be seen partially blocking the track.
“Oh, come on,” the train operator said as the train horn steadily blasted from hundreds of yards away.
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Unable to stop in time, the locomotive slammed into the vehicle, and a thump was heard from inside the train.
Another view of the crash taken from security cameras nearby showed the driver of the SUV approaching the railroad crossing as the red lights were flashing and the gate arm lowered.
Rather than stop before reaching the gate arm, the white SUV continued through, nearly clipping the bottom of the gate, and crossing onto the tracks.
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The driver then slammed the brakes, coming to a stop with the rear wheels still in between the two rails.
Appearing to realize that they had crossed into the tracks, the driver put the vehicle into reverse, hitting the gate arm and coming to a stop with the front wheels now blocking part of the tracks.
The driver continued to reverse, and in the process, pushed the gate arm back before coming to a stop, exiting the car and quickly walking away.
Seconds later the train approached the intersection and smashed into the vehicle, sending it spinning into the gate arm and its post, and completely destroying the front end of the SUV.
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KSLTV in Salt Lake City spoke with UTA public information officer Gavin Gustafson, who said everyone was fortunate to have escaped without injuries.
He also told the station that it is easy to watch the video and want the driver to pull forward or reverse and break the arm, though the driver was probably in shock.
“I’m certainly not going to second-guess them in the heat of the moment,” Gustafson said. “And sometimes, the view might be blocked by something else, you don’t want to pull forward if there is another train coming.”
Gustafson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.
Still, the station reported that UTA estimates the collision caused over $100,000 in damage to the train.
In the process, the gate and crossing post were damaged, though the latter was reportedly repaired within 24 hours with assistance from the city of Layton.
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