Just before 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday—right when the rest of us were contemplating our life choices over lukewarm coffee—someone decided to take their vehicle for an unscheduled swim in the playa lake near 56th and Bangor. Because when you think “serene aquatic escape,” you naturally think of a shallow basin primarily designed to collect West Texas dirt, neighborhood pesticide runoff, and the tears of Texas Tech seniors.
Emergency crews arrived to find a sedan slowly disappearing into the abyss (if you consider a drainage hole 150 feet from a curb “the abyss”). Authorities confirmed the driver intentionally aimed for the water. Look, we’ve all had those mornings where the thought of driving down Slide Road makes us want to veer into a ditch, but most of us usually stop before the “needing a snorkel” phase.
The Lubbock Fire Rescue Dive Team—who probably spend 99% of their year waiting for a call that isn’t just a cat stuck in a mesquite tree—finally got to bust out the boat. In a scene that was far more dramatic than this city deserves, a firefighter smashed through the sunroof to pull the individual out. According to officials, there were only about two inches of air left in the car, proving that even our “lakes” are efficient at being terrible.
The individual was hauled off to the hospital for an evaluation, and LPD says there were no injuries. So, while the car is currently becoming a permanent fixture for the local goldfish, the driver is safe.
Between the dust storms and the potholes, is it really a surprise that people are starting to check if the bottom of our drainage ponds offers a better quality of life?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
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