Cars Drive Around Barriers, Get Stuck in California Sinkhole

CHP 'at a loss for words'
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 1, 2023 3:00 AM CST

Drivers who ignored road closure signs in a California town ended up caught in a sinkhole, and authorities sound pretty flabbergasted with the situation. "There are concrete rails across the roadway. It takes a little bit of effort to maneuver around it to get past it," explains a California Highway Patrol spokesperson, per the Guardian. However, at least two drivers did go to the effort to drive around the barriers and onto Kasson Road in Tracy despite the warning signs. After the second car got stuck in the sinkhole created when weeks of storms in the area caused the two-lane road to collapse, CHP took its frustration to Facebook.

"We can’t make this stuff up," an officer wrote alongside a picture of the car. "This was 100 percent preventable. There is no excuse. The signs are clear, visible, and unobstructed." Another officer noted, with some sarcasm, "We’re at a loss for words. If only there were signs and/or barriers that could have prevented this." The first driver, at least, was cited for ignoring the signs, CBS Sacramento reports. It's not clear whether the second driver was, or whether anyone was injured in the incidents. The road in question is popular with commuters who use it to get to other Central Valley cities, and CHP has published alternate routes. (More strange stuff stories.)

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