Wrecking Ball Snaps Loose, Wreaks Havoc

[GaryC 7]

Paramedics place the driver of a Ford Taurus onto a stretcher after a

1,500-pound wrecking ball slammed into the back of it North Main Street

at Randolph Street in Meadville, Pa., Monday, July 9, 2007. The wrecking

ball damaged numerous vehicles after it broke loose from a crane on the

campus of Allegheny College and rolled down North Main Street before

hitting the Taurus. Two other people were also taken to the Meadville

Medical Center for treatment of injuries they suffered in the accident,

police said. (AP Photo/Tim Hahn)

MEADVILLE, Pa. Jul 10, 2007 (AP)

A 1,500-pound wrecking ball broke loose from a crane cable and raced downhill, smashing into several cars and injuring three people before coming to rest in the trunk of a car at an intersection Monday.

The wrecking ball, about 3 feet across, was being used to demolish part of a library at Allegheny College when the cable snapped, police said. The crane operator tried to stop it, but it rolled nearly three-quarters of a mile downhill, damaging more than a dozen vehicles as it bounced from curb to curb, police said.

Most of the damaged vehicles were parked, but the ball slammed into the rear of Alex Habay's car stopped at an intersection, causing a chain reaction accident with two other cars at the traffic light, police said.

"All of a sudden, the back windshield exploded and I hit the car in front of me," said Habay, 20, a junior at Allegheny College.

The ball lodged in the trunk of a car, pushing the vehicle about 20 feet.

"I got out of my car and couldn't believe it when I walked back and saw this giant wrecking ball sitting in the trunk of the last car," said Meadville police Officer Brian Joseph.

Meadville is about 90 miles north of Pittsburgh.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3361198

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Holy #######!

[JoeMama 0]

Can't anyone keep a handle on their balls these days?

[Sheriff Uling 3]

There is nothing like big balls on the loose... Hehehehehe!!!

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

and now someone really can claim to have "junk in the trunk"

[TracyLuis 0]

Proving yet again how little control we really have...

[doodlebug 3]

Like Mondays aren't bad enough!!!!!

[William33 110]

Nice.....The insurance company will probably screw the claim, as a "natural" disaster.

Sucks to be the car owner.

[eric&gen 0]

Reminds me of an old AC/DC song lol.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Dude...