Oakland Residents in Shock as Massive Pothole Devours Family Car

Oakland Residents in Shock as Massive Pothole Devours Family CarOakland Residents in Shock as Massive Pothole Devours Family Car Oakland, California – Residents of East Oakland were left in shock on Monday evening after a massive pothole suddenly appeared in the middle of a residential street, swallowing a family’s car in an instant. The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. on 82nd Avenue near International Boulevard. According to witnesses, the pothole formed out of nowhere, resulting in an eight-foot-wide, two-foot-deep chasm that stretched across the entire roadway. As a silver Honda Civic approached the intersection, its driver, 35-year-old Maria Garcia, had no time to react. The car plunged into the pothole with a deafening thud, its front end completely submerged. “I thought I was going to die,” Garcia said, visibly shaken. “I couldn’t believe the road just gave way like that.” Garcia’s two children, ages 6 and 8, were in the back seat at the time of the incident. They sustained minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for observation. Neighbors rushed to the scene and tried to help the family, but they were unable to free the car. City crews arrived shortly after and used heavy machinery to extract the vehicle, which was completely destroyed. “This is absolutely unacceptable,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf, who visited the site on Tuesday morning. “Our city streets should be safe for our residents, and we will not tolerate this kind of neglect.” Oakland’s Department of Public Works has launched an investigation into the incident. The city has a long history of pothole problems, and recent budget cuts have forced the department to reduce its paving and repair crews. “We know that our roads are in bad shape, and we’re working hard to improve them,” said City Administrator Ed Reiskin. “But this is an extreme case, and we’re going to find out what happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Residents in the area are demanding immediate action. “We can’t live like this,” said Rosa Martinez, who lives on 82nd Avenue. “Our cars are being destroyed, and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.” The city has promised to expedite repairs on the damaged road and to increase its efforts to address the pothole problem citywide.