SAN CLEMENTE - An 18-year-old man slammed into a parked car Sunday night while he and another teenager rode atop Christmas trees tied to the back of an SUV, authorities said.
Orange County Sheriff's Department officials said they have received calls about a new fad called "tree surfing" in the past, but this is the first time they have seen someone injured.
Two people were riding separate Christmas trees tied to a Mitsubishi Montero at about 10:45 p.m., said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Sheriff's Department. The car – occupied by a female driver and two passengers – was traveling near Calle Ola Verde and Avenida Espada.
The car was going 20-25 mph, said Capt. Greg McKeown of the Orange County Fire Authority. As the vehicle turned at the intersection, one of the tied trees flew out wide, and slammed the 18-year-old into a parked car.
Investigators are not sure if the two riders were standing or sitting on the trees, Amormino said.
The driver fled, Amormino said.
"As soon as the guy got hurt, she left on foot," he said.
The two passengers in the car, and the other teen who was riding one of the trees, stayed behind and told deputies that the car did not belong to the female driver, Amormino said.
"They said they didn't know who the girl was, and they just let her drive," Amormino said. "Whether they're protecting her, we're not sure. We're still conducting interviews."
The 18-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, suffered moderate injuries to his head and was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. He is expected to survive. The incident is being investigated as a felony hit-and-run.
Deputies have had similar calls in the past, with people standing on the hoods of moving vehicles, sticking their bodies out of the windows or holding on to a moving car while riding a skateboard, Amormino said.
This the first incident involving a Christmas tree that deputies have investigated, he said.
But the practice has been widely circulated on the Internet, with dozens of videos showing up on YouTube.
Officials want to discourage people from attempting it, calling it an extremely dangerous and illegal fad.
"It's a serious traffic violation," Amormino said. "You have no control over what happens."
