Train strikes SUV in Round Lake Park, killing driver

A Metra train struck an SUV in Round Lake Park shortly after 6 p.m., killing at least one person, Metra officials said.

Milwaukee District North Line train No. 2129 struck a Range Rover at the crossing near Route 134 and Porter Drive, killing the driver, Metra spokesman Tom Miller said.

“It appeared that the driver drove through or around downed gates at Route 134,” Miller said.

The train was traveling at about 60 mph on its way to the Round Lake station when the crash happened, he said.

There’s additional reports of another person in the vehicle, but Miller said he has no further information about that person.

After the crash, a shuttle bus took passengers from Grayslake to Fox Lake and made stops at Grayslake, Round Lake, Long Lake, Ingleside and Fox Lake.

Trains began moving through the area again around 8:30 p.m. with residual delays of 45 minutes or more.

It’s the second crash at this crossing this month. An unmarked Lake County sheriff’s squad car was hit by a Metra train about 10:20 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6. A detective was driving the vehicle across the tracks when the gates began to lower. A van in front of the vehicle stopped to turn, and the detective hit his brakes, swerved and got stuck in the snow next to the tracks, Lake County officials said.

The officer exited the vehicle before the train hit the rear end of the car, badly damaging it.