Car flies up, crashes after using empty car hauler as ramp in Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A driver went airborne on Monday after using an empty car hauler as a ramp, launching his vehicle into a light pole.

The incident took place around 11 a.m. on 8 Mile near Livernois in Detroit, right in front of two autobody shops. It was caught on video.

"Throughout the 20 years (we've been here), we've never seen anything like this," said Ali Chami, the co-owner of Palace Auto.

The driver, in a Chevy Impala, switched to the right lane just in time to drive onto the car hauler – only to tumble off. 

"We heard a big bang outside, we came running out," Chami said. "(I) seen the Impala go on the truck, and just flip over, and crash into this pole."

The driver was taken to a nearby hospital in an ambulance; his condition is unknown. Onlookers say he did not appear to be seriously injured.

"He got up and he walked, and we even tried to trade his car in," Chami said.

It is still unclear what caused the crash in the first place. 

Large car haulers like the one that the Impala drove onto cannot fit into the tight lots of businesses on that road, Chami said. So they are parked on the street.

"We get about five trucks a week," he said. "They usually park right here on 8 Mile. We’ve never seen anything like this."

Aside from a missing light pole and some tire tracks, no other damage or injuries were reported.