Wuppertal: A Night of Hit-and-Runs, Stolen Cars, and a Very Unlucky Lamppost

Honestly, Wuppertal! You’d think a Saturday night would be quiet, but nope – chaos broke out, and not once, but several times. We’re not talking about a few minor dings here. This was one of those nights that even had the patrol officers stopping for a moment. Between a hit-and-run, a stolen car, and a lamppost that never stood a chance, only a few hours had passed.

Stolen car meets lamppost

Let’s start in the city centre. The Bergische Universität Wuppertal is usually pretty peaceful when the lecture halls are empty. But nearby, on the way to the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal GmbH – usually a place where concert-goers in evening wear turn up – a bizarre scene unfolded early in the evening. A 55-year-old man was clearly under the influence, but that was the least of his worries. He got into a car that wasn’t his. A stolen vehicle, the whole thing.

He took off, but the joyride ended exactly as you’d expect: with a loud bang as he slammed into a lamppost. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the stolen car was a write-off, and he’s now facing charges for theft and hit-and-run. I honestly didn’t think he’d get that far. But the night in our city had more in store.

Hit-and-run on Sonnborner Ufer

While the 55-year-old was being detained, things were heating up at Sonnborner Ufer. There was a crash there that came dangerously close to being far worse. A car smashed into a lamppost – but that’s only half the story.

From what we hear, the driver had already been involved in some serious trouble beforehand. A hit-and-run after an initial collision, and then, while trying to get away, the second crash. Fortunately, no one’s life was in danger, but the force of the impact was massive. Whoever does something like that either has nothing left to lose or is living in a complete fantasy. Sonnborner Ufer was completely closed off for the recovery and investigation. If you needed to go that way, you were seriously out of luck.

• What we know: A 55-year-old man under the influence steals a car and crashes into a lamppost (near the Uni/Stadthalle).
• What else we know: Another driver is involved in a one-man pursuit, crashes, flees, and then crashes again shortly after at Sonnborner Ufer.
• Where things were blocked: There were road closures around the CinemaxX Wuppertal and the Stadthalle, as well as in the Sonnborner Ufer area.

Just another night that shows what Wuppertal is made of

I’ve been living here for over twenty years, and nights like this happen every now and then. Usually, the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal GmbH is the cultural hotspot, but this time, it unfortunately became the hotspot for a wild joyride. Just picture it: after stealing the car, the guy drives through the city, past the CinemaxX Wuppertal where people are just trying to catch a movie, and then crashes into the post.

The local radio crew had their hands full keeping everyone updated. And the emergency services? They ended up dealing with two crash scenes that, while unrelated, both sent the same message: if you drive drunk or think you can get away with a hit-and-run, you’ve got serious screws loose. The fact that no one died in either incident is honestly a miracle.

Let’s just hope next week in Wuppertal is a bit calmer. But honestly? It’s never boring around here. And in a way, that’s what we love about this city, nestled between the Suspension Railway and the hills. Even if I’d happily do without headlines like these.