A U-Haul truck sparked chaos in Hollywood after a big tree was wedged between the cab and the trailer. The driver continued driving the truck for quite a distance without realizing what was behind her.
Footage of the incident went viral on social media, showing the truck hitting a black Toyota Prius and then proceeding forward, striking other cars parked along the street.
The presence of a tree in an unexpected spot raises questions about how it got there in the first place and how it remained stuck without breaking apart.
The bigger question that is being raised is how the driver did not realize she was dragging an entire tree along, damaging cars along the way.
U-Haul Truck Struck a Large Tree Branch, and the Driver Didn’t Know
According to a report by CBS News, the incident occurred on Sunday at around 10:30 a.m. near Lankershim Boulevard and La Maida Street, when a large tree branch got wedged between a truck carrying U-Haul storage boxes and its trailer.
Footage shows the tree protruding from either side of the truck, and it got stuck in a horizontal position, not parallel to the truck. Los Angeles Police Department officers were reportedly called after learning about a traffic collision in the area.
Police found at the scene that a V1 semi truck carrying U-Haul U-Boxes had hit a “very large tree branch, which ripped off and lodged itself between the truck and it’s trailer.”
The police confirmed that the driver was allegedly unaware that the tree was being dragged along by her truck, while she continued driving eastbound on La Maida towards Lankershim. The tree struck at least 12 parked cars on the street.
Residents Express Shock and Frustration Over the Incident
North Hollywood residents who witnessed the incident expressed their frustration and shock. Nate Bridges said:
“She [truck driver] has huge rearview mirrors on both sides, like, there’s no way you couldn’t see and feel. It was a huge mistake, obviously. It was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen.”
Bridges added that the truck driver “seemed like she was having the worst day of her life.”
One person, who wanted to be identified as Clark, the owner of the Prius, said he had to dodge the tree in order to avoid being hit. He said:
“I said, ‘This girl ain’t stopping.’ She’s causing devastation to all these cars. I had to dodge it. I felt like a Ninja Turtle.”
Fortunately, the incident only caused property damage, as nobody was reported to be injured.
Sadly for Clark, his Prius was totaled by the impact of the tree hitting it, especially since Toyota no longer makes replacement roof panels. However, he seemed more interested in promoting the video he posted on Instagram and getting people to listen to his band, Papercut Massacre.
“I’m a musician, so I write songs and I want people to hear them. It’s all about their well-being and avoiding this crazy world.”
The identity of the driver has not been revealed. Police stated that no arrests were made because the whole episode of the tree being dragged and the cars being hit was an accident.
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