Houston, we’ve had a problem. I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up because my Subaru is stuck between two SUVs—sideways. At least, I’m guessing that’s how the 911 call went when an H-E-B shopper found themselves trapped in a parking lot slot canyon of their own making.
The Woodlands is located 30 miles north of Houston, and a recent parking mishap at the local H-E-B has locals scratching their heads. According to a social media post, The Woodlands Fire Department was dispatched to a “vehicle rollover with an entrapment.” Sounds standard enough, right? Except the vehicle was rolled over with its passenger side facing the clear blue sky. Here, everything is not better because the Subaru was also between a rock and a hard place.
When the TWFD arrived on the scene, they found a Subaru Crosstrek perfectly wedged vertically between a Ford Excursion and a Toyota RAV4. The Subaru had come to rest on its left side, pinning the driver’s door. It’s unknown whether the vehicle’s airbags were deployed or if the door locks were inoperable due to the crash, but the driver was unable to exit the Crosstrek on their own.
When looking at the images posted by the TWFD, it’s easy to wonder if the sky is falling over Greater Houston. How did the Subie land there?
The parking lot features angled stalls with planters spaced out, doubling as scenery and wheel stops. However, with cars being too big for their britches these days, parking blocks are more like pre-teen pimples: a minor annoyance but nothing you can’t get over.
I’m no Encyclopedia Brown, but my take is that this incident is a case of mistaken pedal identity. Based on the direction of travel as well as the damage to the tree sapling and the RAV4’s hood (the Excursion looks unfazed), it’s possible the driver hit the gas instead of the brake. In a panic, they might have punched the throttle even more. At this point, the parking block became a launch pad, and the Subaru Symmetrical All Wheel Drive system kicked in, finding traction with the tree trunk. And, we have lift off.
However, this tree is scrawny. Unable to support the weight of the high-flyin’ Subie any further, the Crosstrek fell onto the RAV4. With wheels still spinning, the continued momentum pushed the Subie upwards on the Toyota before the fun-ride counter clock hit zero, and gravity took over.
Of course, the Crosstrek would need to have hit the parking bump at the right speed and the tree at the right angle. Otherwise, tree or no tree, it’s a head-on collision into the Toyota, or Ford, or both.
But I’m just speculating. The driver was treated at the scene but declined transportation to a nearby hospital. Not to say there were no injuries. Ambulance rides are one of the few things more expensive than eggs, and the driver could’ve later visited an ER or clinic via other means. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate.
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