The unlucky Tesla owner believes the fish was carried by a bird before dropping it on their EV
July 25, 2024 at 18:30
- A New Jersey Tesla owner found a dead fish near the smashed windshield of his car.
- Video shows the moment of impact as the flounder fell from the sky.
- An eagle or another bird of prey likely dropped the fish.
Jeff and Cynthia Levine live in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. It’s close to the Navesink River and Sandy Hook Bay where countless fish live. It’s from one of these water bodies the Levines believe an eagle snatched up a fish before dropping it on their Tesla. The vehicle’s onboard cameras captured the falling fish as it hit and destroyed the windshield.
“The car started honking, it went crazy honking which we had never heard, I didn’t know how to turn it off,” Cynthia said. “I went out and he was in the yard somewhere, he heard the crash and everything but ignored it. We were like holy crap look at this, and I said to him, “it looks like fish scales and blood on the windshield.” Video shows the moment of impact and the damage left behind.
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How could something like this happen? The Levines blame a resident living on their own property. “We also have an eagle’s nest in our backyard… so we think it was probably the eagle,” Cynthia said to NJ.com. They did not name the eagle so it’s unclear if they’re attempting to protect its identity for fear of reprisal. At the same time, Jeff has a simple plea for other flying creatures in the area. “I lowered my deductibles so if any birds are listening, please don’t drop it here because I’m covered now,” he says.
This is far from the first time a falling fish has caused significant damage to property on land. In August of 2023, another fish dropped from the sky in New Jersey, landing on a power line and causing a black out for several hours.
The local authorities made light of the incident by calling for the public to remember the fish they dubbed Gilligan. “Gilligan was a hard working family man. He was a father to thousands of children,” the post read. “The suspect was last seen flying South. If you see him do not try to apprehend him.” Similar council is likely wise regarding this latest fish-on-Tesla attack by a foul. Many eagles are protected by various state and federal laws too, so retaliation could be illegal.