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A reckless joyride in southern Kazakhstan ended with a dramatic crash into a towering Christmas tree, according to surveillance footage that has since circulated online.
The incident, captured by CCTV cameras in the town of Saryagash, shows a driver performing high-speed circular spins, commonly known as “donuts,” in a Russian-made Lada sedan during the early morning hours. The square was largely empty when the driver began the dangerous maneuvers.
Video evidence reveals the driver successfully completed one circular spin before attempting a second. During this second attempt, the vehicle swung wider than intended, sending the car directly toward a 40-foot Christmas tree positioned in the center of the square.
The footage shows the moment of impact as the vehicle slammed into the decorated tree, immediately toppling the holiday display. Lights scattered across the pavement as the tree crashed to the ground. The driver then fled the scene, leaving behind the flattened festive installation.
Witnesses reported hearing the vehicle’s tires screeching as the driver circled the square, narrowly avoiding other street furniture and decorations in the moments before the crash, according to The Sun newspaper.
The Saryagash District Police issued a statement confirming they received a report about the incident around 3 a.m., noting that “an unknown driver had crashed into the main Christmas tree installed in the central square and then fled.”
Law enforcement officials acted quickly, reviewing recordings from nearby surveillance cameras. “Officers carefully studied the recordings from the area using CCTV cameras,” police said in their statement. “As a result, the identity of the offender was established.”
Investigators identified the vehicle as a VAZ-2105 Lada, a common automobile model in post-Soviet countries. The Soviet-era vehicles, first produced in the 1970s, remain popular throughout Kazakhstan and other parts of the former USSR due to their reliability and low maintenance costs.
After tracking down the driver through the surveillance footage, authorities impounded the vehicle. In what may be considered an unusual resolution, police did not pursue standard criminal charges against the driver. Instead, authorities issued a fine for dangerous driving and ordered the individual to personally repair the damage caused to the holiday display.
“The young driver repaired the damaged tree and promised not to commit similar offenses in the future,” police confirmed in their statement. The exact amount of the fine was not disclosed in public reports.
Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, has been working to modernize its law enforcement practices in recent years, with varied approaches to minor offenses that sometimes include restorative justice measures rather than purely punitive ones.
This incident comes amid a broader pattern of vehicular vandalism incidents targeting holiday displays reported across several countries during the festive season. Public squares in many former Soviet republics traditionally feature large, centrally placed Christmas trees during winter celebrations, making them visible symbols of holiday festivities.
Local officials in Saryagash have not commented on whether additional security measures will be implemented in the town square to prevent similar incidents in the future. The Christmas tree has reportedly been restored to its original position following the repairs.
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14 Comments
What a senseless act of vandalism! I can’t believe someone would jeopardize public safety like that just for the thrill of doing donuts. The Christmas tree was probably a beloved part of the town’s holiday celebrations too. Hopefully the perpetrator is found and made to pay for the damages.
That’s really upsetting to see. The Christmas tree was probably a beloved part of the town’s holiday celebrations. I can’t believe the driver thought it was okay to be doing donuts in a public square, putting everyone at risk. Hopefully they’re found and made to pay for the damages. That kind of behavior is unacceptable, especially during the festive season.
What a shame to see that Christmas display destroyed. The driver must have been completely oblivious to their surroundings to crash into the tree like that. I hope the authorities are able to track them down and hold them accountable. The community deserves better than that kind of reckless behavior, especially during the holidays.
Agreed. The driver’s actions were completely irresponsible and showed a total disregard for public safety. Hopefully this serves as a lesson about the real consequences of such behavior.
What an unfortunate incident. The driver showed a total lack of regard for public safety and the hard work that went into that holiday display. I hope they’re found and held accountable. The community deserves better than to have their Christmas celebrations marred by such senseless destruction.
Exactly. The driver’s actions were completely unacceptable. Hopefully this serves as a wake-up call about the real consequences of reckless driving, especially around the holidays.
Yikes, that’s quite a holiday mishap! I can’t believe the driver thought doing donuts in a public square was a good idea. Reckless behavior like that is so dangerous, especially with holiday displays around. I hope they at least had the decency to report the incident and cover the damages.
Agreed. The sheer disregard for public safety is shocking. Hopefully the authorities are able to track down the driver and hold them accountable.
That’s really unfortunate to see the Christmas tree get destroyed like that. I feel bad for the community who worked hard to put up that display. Hopefully the driver is found and has to pay for the repairs – that kind of reckless driving shouldn’t be tolerated, especially around the holidays.
Absolutely. The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy and community, not danger and destruction. The driver needs to be held responsible for their selfish actions.
That’s a real shame to see such a festive display get wiped out by reckless driving. The driver must have been completely oblivious to their surroundings to plow right into the Christmas tree like that. I hope the authorities are able to track them down and hold them accountable. The community deserves better than that kind of behavior during the holidays.
That’s really sad to see. The Christmas tree was probably a beloved part of the town’s holiday festivities. I hope the authorities are able to track down the driver and make them pay for the damages. Reckless behavior like that has no place, especially during the holidays.
What a terrible incident. The driver showed a total disregard for public safety and the effort that went into creating that Christmas display. I hope they face serious consequences for their actions. The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy, not destruction.
Agreed. The driver’s actions were completely unacceptable. Hopefully this serves as a wake-up call about the dangers of reckless driving, especially in areas with pedestrians and holiday decorations.