Wuppertal: A Night of Hit-and-Runs, Stolen Cars, and a Lamp Post
Man, Wuppertal! You’d think a Saturday night would be pretty chill, but then all hell breaks loose. And we’re not talking about a few dings and dents here. This was the kind of night that made even the patrol officers stop and take a second look. Within just a few hours, there was a hit-and-run, a stolen car, and a lamppost that never stood a chance.
Stolen Car Meets Lamppost
Let’s start in the city centre. The Bergische Universität Wuppertal is usually pretty quiet when the lecture halls are empty. But nearby, on the way to the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal GmbH – a place where concert-goers in tuxedos usually make an entrance – a bizarre incident unfolded early in the evening. A 55-year-old man was apparently tipsy, but that was the least of his problems. He got into a car that wasn’t his. Yep, it was stolen.
The man sped off, but the joyride ended exactly how you’d expect: with a loud bang against a lamppost. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the stolen car was a total wreck, and he’s now facing charges for theft and hit-and-run. I’m honestly surprised he even got that far. But the night in our city had more in store.
Hit-and-Run at Sonnborner Ufer
While the 55-year-old was being detained, things were heating up at Sonnborner Ufer. There was a crash there that was a close call, to say the least. A car slammed into a lamppost – but that’s only half the story.
From what we hear, the driver had already caused a ruckus earlier. He fled after the first accident, and then, while on the run, came the second crash. Fortunately, no one was in life-threatening danger, but the impact was massive. Someone who pulls stunts like that must either have nothing left to lose or be completely out of their mind. The Sonnborner Ufer area was closed off for recovery and investigation. Anyone who needed to go that way was seriously out of luck.
- What we know: A drunk 55-year-old steals a car and crashes into a lamppost (near the university/halle).
- What else we know: Another driver gets into a pursuit with... himself, gets into an accident and flees, only to crash 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.
Wuppertal Showing Its True Colours, Again
I’ve been living here for over twenty years now, and nights like this happen every so often. Usually, the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal GmbH is the hotspot for culture, but this time it was unfortunately the hotspot for a wild joyride. Just imagine it: a guy steals a car, drives through the city, passes by the CinemaxX Wuppertal where folks are just trying to catch a movie, and then crashes into a post.
The local radio crew had their hands full just keeping everyone updated. And the emergency services? They ended up having to deal with two accident scenes that, while unrelated, sent the same message: if you’re drunk and get behind the wheel, or think you can get away with a hit-and-run, you’re not thinking straight. It’s honestly a miracle there were no fatalities in either case.
Let’s just hope next week in Wuppertal is a bit quieter. But honestly? It’s never boring here. And in a way, that’s what we love about this city between the suspension railway and the hills. Even though I wouldn’t mind skipping headlines like these.