Runaway Boat Crosses 91 Freeway
A boat detached from its trailer and coasted across multiple lanes of the 91 Freeway in Bellflower on March 3. Incredibly, the runaway vessel managed to cross the busy Southern California highway without causing any collisions or injuries.
The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on a Sunday evening, a time when the 91 Freeway through Bellflower is a notoriously packed commuter route. Video footage captured by a Tesla's dashcam shows the small boat detaching from its U-Haul trailer in the eastbound lanes. The boat then became airborne, flying over the center median and landing in the westbound carpool lane. The Tesla traveling in the fast lane narrowly avoided a direct collision with the vessel as it crashed onto the freeway. The driver of the U-Haul did not stop after the boat detached and continued driving. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is now actively searching for the driver. Authorities were able to clear the boat and resulting debris from the carpool lane within two hours, reopening the freeway to traffic. Trailer detachments can happen due to several factors, including coupler failure, improperly attached safety chains, or disengaged breakaway brake systems. The California DMV recommends a thorough pre-trip checklist for anyone towing a trailer to prevent such incidents.
