Everyone has their theories about driving and walking city sidewalks. In this case, a 71-year-old pedestrian waited to cross the street by placing one of the intersection’s light poles between him and oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, that thick, well-planted pole was far from sufficient cover from a speeding sedan with a 15-year-old car thief behind the wheel. 

A video shows the moment a 15-year-old car thief knocks down a light pole and flattens a 71-year-old pedestrian

A news video shows a black Honda Accord speeding down Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York. At the wheel: a 15-year-old car thief hell bent on getting away in the ill-gotten Honda. 

As the teen approaches a four-way intersection, a 71-year-old man queues up to cross the street, standing beside a light pole with pedestrian signal housings. A moment later, the speeding Accord meets the pole with some serious force.

Speed was a factor, along with an inexperienced driver

Other security camera footage caught glimpses of the inexperienced driver speeding toward the intersection. Even for experienced drivers, excessive speed is a frequent culprit in fatal accidents. In fact, the NHTSA says that nearly one-third of traffic fatalities involve speeding. And even with stout mounts, a light post can’t stand up to a speeding, 3,380-lb sedan. 

In this case, the impact of the Accord hitting the pole was enough to snap it from its foundations. Unfortunately, the Honda’s momentum smashed the dislodged pole into the 71-year-old pedestrian before coming to a halt.

First responders transported the pedestrian to One Brooklyn Health-Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. Mercifully, authorities described his condition as stable. The young car thief, on the other hand, ended up in handcuffs. 

Check out the video below!