Trying to help a stranded driver is usually a good deed. Trying to physically move a two-and-a-half-ton SUV that’s already balanced on the edge of a drop, however, leaves very little room for error.
As reported by WDAM 7, that’s the situation two bystanders found themselves facing in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, after a Toyota Sequoia became precariously stuck at the edge of a supermarket parking lot. With the driver still inside, they decided to lend a hand.
Unfortunately, their rescue attempt didn’t go according to plan. Within moments, a difficult recovery became a job for multiple emergency agencies.
The good news is that despite what happened next, officials reported only minor injuries. Considering where the Toyota eventually ended up, that’s a remarkably fortunate outcome.
A Sequoia Balanced On The Edge
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The incident happened near Bismillah Super Market on 4th Street, where a first-generation Toyota Sequoia had ended up partially over a retaining wall. Its front end was hanging above a concrete drainage channel while the rear remained on the parking lot.
Viewer footage shows two men attempting to help while someone remained in the driver’s seat. One appears to push or rock the Toyota near a rear wheel while the other works around the hitch area.
That movement appears to have upset the SUV’s precarious balance. Once the Sequoia started moving toward the drop, there was little anyone nearby could do to stop it.
The Rescue Attempt Goes Very Wrong
The Toyota suddenly tipped forward and plunged nose-first over the retaining wall. It then rolled into the drainage area and came to rest upside down, with the driver still inside.
It’s a frightening sequence, particularly because the occupant appears to have been attempting to escape shortly before the SUV fell. Fortunately, the aftermath wasn’t as serious as the video might suggest.
Hattiesburg police and firefighters responded alongside AAA Ambulance Service and University of Southern Mississippi Campus Police. City officials told WDAM 7 that minor injuries were reported, although they did not specify how many people were hurt.
Some Recoveries Are Best Left To The Professionals
There’s no indication the bystanders intended anything other than to help someone in a dangerous situation. The problem was that a vehicle balanced over an edge can become extremely unstable, and even seemingly minor movement can shift enough weight beyond the tipping point.
A professional recovery crew could instead secure the vehicle before attempting to pull it back onto the pavement. Stabilizing the SUV would also reduce the risk of it moving while its occupant was trying to climb out.
In this case, the Sequoia went from stranded to upside down in a matter of seconds. The SUV appears to have suffered substantial damage, but with only minor injuries reported, everyone involved can at least be thankful the outcome wasn’t considerably worse.