updated
Saturday, 2:15 PM
From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe

Man drives into the Charles after sneezing

November 18, 2008 07:42 PM Email| Comments (25)| Text size +

By Jeannie M. Nuss, Globe Correspondent

A Weymouth man drove into the Charles River today after losing control of his pickup truck when he sneezed, State Police said.

Andrew Hanson, 42, drove his truck over the sidewalk and down the embankment into the water at Soldiers Field Road near North Harvard Street in Boston, Lieutenant Eric Anderson, a State Police spokesman, said.

When State Police arrived at about 1:30 p.m., Hanson was sitting on the side of the road.

He was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with minor injuries, Anderson said. No charges have been filed. The State Police, Boston Fire Department and EMS, and the Department of Recreation and Conservation responded to the scene.

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25 comments so far...
  1. Now that's nothing to sneeze at!

    Posted by Onemother November 18, 08 08:11 PM
  1. Sounds like something that would happen to me!

    Posted by John November 18, 08 08:17 PM
  1. Achoo!

    Posted by Freddy November 18, 08 08:18 PM
  1. GOTTZUNDHEIT

    Posted by keith November 18, 08 08:40 PM
  1. Hey, next time just sneeze all over the windshield and then you can hit another car or passerby and your insurance will go up.lol.
    No really, I am glad that you are not hurt,

    Posted by Robyn November 18, 08 09:08 PM
  1. Crack news story, guys. This is reporting at its best! Keep up the great work!

    Posted by Pat November 18, 08 09:20 PM
  1. Gesundheit!

    Posted by Greg November 18, 08 09:26 PM
  1. this is one of my biggest fears ever

    Posted by teofeo November 18, 08 09:31 PM
  1. Ahhhhhhhhh-chooooooooooooooooooo!

    Posted by velospeed November 18, 08 09:36 PM
  1. Sounds a bit "fishy" to me...ha ha ha

    Anyone check to see how much the truck was worth versus how much he owed? I wonder if this is a new way to get out of your car payments, just like the old days when people's cars were "stolen".

    Fishy, fishy, fishy

    Posted by Joe-biker November 18, 08 10:06 PM
  1. I feel bad for the guy, but it could have been a lot worse. Nobody else was hurt, he's apparently OK (besides the embarrassment and a wet truck), and he's got a good story to tell his kids.

    My allergies sometimes kick in unexpectedly and I have sneezing fits, so I could see something like that happening, but it's still pretty funny.

    "Yeah honey, I was driving, then I was sneezing, then I was swimming. Now I'm freezing."

    Posted by Rob November 18, 08 10:07 PM
  1. Geshundheit...

    Posted by sj November 18, 08 10:09 PM
  1. sneezing sure it was'nt sleeping hello

    Posted by christopher james trudeau November 18, 08 10:14 PM
  1. what he did not say....he was doing coke off the dashboard,just kidding...GLAD you were not hurt

    Posted by JOHN DUPONT November 18, 08 10:37 PM
  1. Well that's more like it!

    I knew a woman from Weymouth once, she was crazy!

    Hahaha!

    Posted by Matt November 18, 08 11:03 PM
  1. I smell the salt and pepper!

    Posted by Tom Jackson November 18, 08 11:55 PM
  1. Try keeping your eyes open when you sneeze. Proven fact - can't be done. Violent sneezes have been known to break ribs and cause whiplash. Wicked hard to maintain a level of composure when you spontaneously erupt like that. Glad he didn't drown, or mow down a passerby.

    Posted by saltzone November 19, 08 12:29 AM
  1. Thats why they call stuff like this accidents...unlike idiots who go through red lights by mistake, or "damn, that tree just jumped out in front of me," kind of accidents.

    Posted by Gail Lynch November 19, 08 12:29 AM
  1. I've got a feeling this is gonna make world wide headlines...

    Posted by Nico November 19, 08 01:31 AM
  1. Maybe they should take care of that spot ride there.... it's the second time that's happened in 2 years... I was in the car behind the car that went into the charles ride there before.

    Posted by Lindsay November 19, 08 04:04 AM
  1. I have always feared that would happen because I can't sneeze without closing my eyes! Glad you are safe!

    Posted by Broomlady November 19, 08 05:06 AM
  1. That is an xpensive sneeze. I bet he will remember this event every time he sneezes again. Now sneezing is dangerous too and could cost your life. One more line for the car manufacturers disclaimer. "Do not operate vehicle when sneezing!!! Am glad that it wasn't fatal or serious.

    Posted by Nanj November 19, 08 09:15 AM
  1. Charles water....YUK...good thing they took him to the hospital, that water could give him some serious side affects - he could become a mutant!!

    Posted by Hi-D November 19, 08 09:19 AM
  1. This has already made "Odd news" listings worldwide.. lol

    Sadly it's something I could see my father doing. Us kids used to hit the deck every time he sneezed...

    Posted by volare November 19, 08 10:36 AM
  1. Duck and cover people!

    Posted by wbgrl99 November 19, 08 12:11 PM
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