No additional injuries were documented, according to a tweet from the Northwest Fire Department about the incident.
Despite resembling a scenario out of a Looney Tunes episode with Wiley Coyote and Roadrunner, saguaro cacti are no laughing matter. Indigenous to the Sonora Desert and a distinct agricultural symbol of the southwestern United States, saguaros can tower over 40 feet in height and have a diameter of about 10 feet.
During rare occurrences of rainfall in the Sonora Desert, a well-hydrated mature saguaro can weigh somewhere in the range of 3,200-4,800 pounds, equivalent to the weight of many present-day automobiles. Besides, the spines of a saguaro can leave a lasting impression if one encounters them unexpectedly.
While not as catastrophic as colliding with, let’s say, a solid tree trunk, the driver undeniably had a stroke of luck to have survived.