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A quiet morning in North Hollywood descended into mayhem after a large truck hauling stacked U-Haul pods struck a massive roadside tree branch, unleashing a chaotic chain reaction that smashed a row of parked cars and left stunned witnesses who watched the destruction unfold.
The Los Angeles Police Department told The California Post the incident happened Saturday around 10:30 a.m. on La Maida Street.
Officers responded and found the truck had struck a large branch that ripped off and became lodged between the truck and trailer.
According to witnesses, the commercial truck became tangled in low-hanging branches near the Starbucks and Raising Cane’s at Lankershim Boulevard and La Maida before continuing eastbound with the massive branch trapped alongside the trailer.
As the truck kept moving, the branch violently whipped into parked vehicles lining the curb, crushing mirrors, scraping panels, shattering parts, and scattering debris across the street.
Video from the scene showed the 18-wheeler-style truck continuing down the block with giant branches dragging alongside it while horrified bystanders watched car after car get struck in rapid succession.
The bizarre aftermath quickly sparked debate online over who could ultimately be responsible for the damage.
“Actually, at least in California, it may just be that the homeowner or the city is responsible,” One Reddit user wrote.
“Trees on public streets have to be trimmed to over the legal height of trucks … Dragging the tree and damaging cars is probably the driver’s fault, though.”
“I was there and I felt really bad for her. I get that it was incredibly dumb and she shouldn’t have even driven that truck on our street but we all mess up,” another commenter who claimed to witness the crash firsthand said online. “Several of the cars are likely totaled, there was a dead squirrel too.”
Police said the truck continued east on La Maida, where the branch struck 12 parked cars.
Authorities confirmed no injuries were reported and no arrests were made.
“It was an accident,” the LAPD said. It’s unclear if the driver will face any charges.
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