Hungry Omaha Road Gobbles Two Vehicles In Spontaneous Sinkhole

Two drivers in Omaha, Nebraska, had quite a surprise while waiting at a red light on Tuesday. A large sinkhole suddenly opened up underneath them, swallowing both vehicles and sending the drivers scrambling for safety, reports WOWT.

A security camera at the University of Nebraska-Omaha captured the incident. A Ram 1500 pickup and Jeep Cherokee were stopped at a red light on Pacific Street where it crosses 67th. Without warning, the pavement gave way underneath both vehicles, sending them plunging into the sinkhole. Fortunately, they didn't fall as deeply as the priceless cars at the Corvette Museum in 2014. The front bumpers were inches past the edge of the hole, catching the vehicles as they fell and preventing them from falling in completely. Two cars behind the sinkhole wisely backed up away from it after the cars ahead of them fell in.

Bystanders rushed to help the occupants out of the sinkhole. The Ram driver, who First Alert 6 identified as Tyler Daniel, climbed out the passenger door and across his hood to safety. Meanwhile, several people, including Daniel, helped to pull the Jeep driver, who KETV identified as Jonathan Inman, out of the hole. Nobody was hurt or trapped for days, but two cars falling into a spontaneous sinkhole is certainly cause for alarm.

City officials first told KETV that the sinkhole occurred because of a water main break underneath the affected area, which is what happened in Cleveland in 2023. However, a later statement said the break was a result of the collapse, not a cause, so it is still unclear how or why the sinkhole formed. Regardless, Pacific Street has been closed between 66th and 69th Streets. It's possible the sinkhole could expand further, like the one that almost swallowed a police station in West Virginia, and authorities don't want this happening to anyone else. The closure could last anywhere from days to weeks, hopefully not months, while repairs take place.

After authorities secured the scene, a crane lifted both vehicles out of the sinkhole. We don't know quite how badly the vehicles were damaged, but Inman told KETV he was unable to drive his Jeep away. It's a complete coincidence, but I find it interesting that all of the vehicles involved in this story are Stellantis products. Even one of the bystanders who came to help pulled up on the sidewalk in a purple Dodge Charger. Although its 2025 company profits might as well have fallen into a sinkhole, Stellantis vehicles are not known to cause them.