Wuppertal: A Night of Hit-and-Runs, Stolen Cars, and a Light Pole
Man, Wuppertal! You’d think a Saturday night would be quiet, but then things go sideways—multiple times. We’re not talking about a few fender benders here. This was the kind of night that even made the patrol officers stop for a second. A hit-and-run, a stolen car, and a light pole that never stood a chance—all within a few hours.
Crashing a Stolen Car into a Light Pole
Let's start downtown. The University of Wuppertal is usually peaceful when the lecture halls are empty. But nearby, on the way to the Historical City Hall Wuppertal GmbH—a place where concertgoers in tuxedos normally show up—a bizarre incident unfolded early in the evening. A 55-year-old was apparently drunk, but that was the least of his problems. He got into a car that didn’t belong to him. Stolen. The whole deal.
The man took off, but the ride ended exactly as you’d expect: with a loud crash into a light pole. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the stolen car was totaled, and he’s facing charges for theft and hit-and-run. I can’t believe he even made it that far. But the night in our city had more in store.
Hit-and-Run on Sonnborner Ufer
While the 55-year-old was in custody, things got busy at Sonnborner Ufer. There was a crash there that really just barely avoided being catastrophic. A car slammed into a light pole—but that’s only half the story.
From what we hear, the driver had already been driving recklessly. A hit-and-run after a first accident, and then, while fleeing, a second crash. Fortunately, no one’s life was in danger, but the impact was massive. Whoever does something like that has either nothing left to lose or is living in a complete fantasy. Sonnborner Ufer was closed down for the recovery and investigation. If you needed to get through there, you were out of luck.
- What we know: A drunk 55-year-old steals a car and ends up crashing into a light pole (near the university/city hall).
- What else we know: Another driver was involved in a one-man chase, caused a crash, fled, and then crashed again shortly after at Sonnborner Ufer.
- Where things were closed: There were roadblocks around the CinemaxX Wuppertal and the city hall, as well as in the Sonnborner Ufer area.
Another One of Those Nights in Wuppertal
I’ve lived here for over twenty years, and nights like this happen every now and then. Normally, the Historical City Hall Wuppertal GmbH is a cultural hotspot, but unfortunately, this time it was a hotspot for a wild chase. Just imagine: A guy steals a car and drives through the city, past the CinemaxX Wuppertal where people just want to catch a movie, and then crashes into a pole.
The folks at the local radio station had their hands full keeping people updated. And the emergency crews? They ended up working two accident scenes that weren’t connected but still 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 out of your mind. The fact that there were no fatalities in either case is nothing short of a miracle.
Let’s just hope next week in Wuppertal is quieter. But honestly? It’s never boring here. And in some way, that’s what we love about this city between the suspension railway and the hills. Even if I could do without headlines like these.