Man narrowly escapes death as giant boulder crushes car after he gets out

16 January 2023 , 04:40

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Mauricio Henao's car had been completely destroyed by the freefalling boulder (Image: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

A California man has recalled his brush with death after narrowly escaping being crushed by a boulder while in his car.

Mauricio Henao said he was in the driver's seat of his parked car in Malibu, California when his phone started ringing.

He left the car to take the call, before hearing the ominous sound of rocks tumbling down the hillside.

“I just heard loud crashes,” Mauricio said, according to US outlet KTLA. “And I ran out and saw my car just crushed.”

The roof of Mauricio's car had been caved in by a massive boulder.

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"The rock is the size of the whole hood,” he said. “The windshields are all broken and the frame of the car is just all twisted.”

An enormous boulder flattened the roof of Mauricio's car (KCBS/KCAL)

Rocks and debris from the hillside flew across four lanes of traffic and several cars were damaged.

Incredibly, there have been no reports of injuries as a result of the landslide.

Local resident Nick Kennedy told KTLA that the falling rocks "came across the street", causing damage to his SUV that was parked on his driveway.

"I'm kind of glad my car was there," Kennedy told the outlet. "I don't know if [the rocks] would have gone through the wall of the house and nailed me because my desk is right on the other side of that wall."

Mauricio said he was "pretty shook up" by the near-death experience and credits the phone call for saving his life.

Mauricio said he felt 'traumatised' after cheating death (KCBS/KCAL)

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll park here again after this," he added. "I’m a little traumatised by this whole ordeal.”

The massive rockslide came after a storm struck California earlier in the week, toppling trees and flooding roads.

More than 25million people across California are facing flood warnings this weekend as more extreme weather barrels down on the central coastline and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.

Will Maule