A seven-year-old boy was seriously injured in Bohmte, northwestern Germany, after a car veered off the road, plowed through a garden, and became airborne—crashing onto the roof of a barn in a rare and severe traffic incident that left multiple people hurt. The accident happened on Saturday, July 19, prompting a large-scale emergency response and drawing attention across the region.

Bohmte

Germany

According to preliminary findings from local police, the vehicle—a car containing a family of five and an additional passenger—first collided with a parked vehicle along a residential street. From there, it broke through a hedge, entered private property, and struck the child as he played on a backyard trampoline. The boy was thrown several meters and sustained critical injuries.

The force of the crash did not stop there. Eyewitnesses said the car appeared to lift off the ground after hitting a mound or uneven surface. The vehicle was then launched into the air, clearing a section of the yard before coming to rest on the sloped roof of a nearby barn, roughly three meters above ground level. Footage from the scene shows the car wedged on the rooftop, tilted on its side with visible structural damage underneath.

Emergency services reacted quickly. Local fire brigades, paramedics, and two medical helicopters were dispatched. “We had more than a dozen ambulances at the site and had to use heavy equipment to reach the vehicle,” one emergency responder was quoted saying during the operation. Rescue crews cut into the roof of the barn to access the vehicle’s occupants, with support from cranes brought in to remove the wreckage safely.

Helicopter

Ambulance

Inside the car were two adults—identified as the 42-year-old driver and his wife—and four children. The driver’s wife suffered serious injuries and was transported by helicopter along with the injured boy. The driver himself sustained minor wounds. The three younger passengers, described by police as aged 11, 12, and 13, were also treated for less severe injuries.

Helicopter

In an official statement released Sunday, the local police department confirmed the sequence of events and said investigators are examining all possible causes. No immediate suspicion of intoxication has been reported, but mechanical faults, driver error, or unexpected road conditions have not been ruled out.

Police

Intoxication

“The course of the vehicle suggests a high level of speed and momentum, contributing to the flight path,” officers noted, emphasizing that a technical inspection of the car is under way. The barn, while partially damaged, remains structurally sound, though residents in the area have expressed shock at the accident’s severity and proximity to their homes.

As the investigation continues, local authorities are urging witnesses to come forward and requesting any available video footage from doorbell or surveillance cameras in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, officials described the boy’s condition as “serious but stable” following emergency surgery.

Surveillance

Surgery

The barn-top crash, while rare in its trajectory and damage profile, has sparked renewed discussion in the community about traffic calming measures and residential safety. “No one expects something like this to happen in their backyard,” said one local resident. “It’s a miracle more people weren’t hurt.”

Traffic calming