Footage captures a late-night joyride that spun out of control, showing a driver circling a central square before colliding with a towering Christmas tree and knocking it down.
CCTV recordings from the town of Saryagash show the driver racing into the mostly empty square in the early morning and executing tight circular spins—known as donuts—in a Russian-made Lada sedan.
While attempting a second consecutive spin, the vehicle swung wider than before and careened directly toward a positioned in the square’s center.
The car plowed into the decorated tree, sending it crashing to the ground as lights scattered across the pavement. The collision flattened the illuminated holiday display almost instantly.
The driver fled the scene, leaving the in the square.
According to The Sun, witnesses reported the vehicle’s tires screeching as the driver circled the square, narrowly avoiding street furniture and festive decorations before the impact.
The Sun also reported that said in a statement they received a report around 3 a.m. that an unknown driver had crashed into the main Christmas tree installed in the central square and then fled.
“Officers carefully studied the recordings from the area using CCTV cameras,” police said in the statement. “As a result, the identity of the offender was established.”
Police later confirmed the driver was operating a VAZ-2105 Lada.
Investigators located him after reviewing the surveillance footage, and his vehicle was impounded, according to the report.
Authorities stated the driver was fined for dangerous driving. In an unusual turn, police also ordered him to repair the display.
“The young driver repaired the damaged tree and pledged not to commit similar offenses in the future,” police said.