The jump is intense, but Florida police say the driver is no daredevil.
Security cameras on the Flagler Bridge in Palm Beach, Florida, caught the moment on Sunday when an SUV driven by 29-year-old James Montano crashed through a gate and crossed the drawbridge just as it was opening up. (While some news outlets have reported that the incident took place on Saturday, Palm Beach police confirmed to The Huffington Post that it occurred Sunday morning.)
“Basically it was a distracted driver incident,” Palm Beach police spokesman Philip Salm told WPTV. "[He] was coming back towards West Palm and didn't see the bridge arms coming down. It was suspected the guy was messing with his GPS."
In the video, the car is seen to be airborne for a brief moment before it lands hard on the road again. Montano appears to slam on the brakes. Cops said Montano and his passenger are lucky they weren't killed.
"Had he hit at a different time or hit the ramp and went over the side, you're talking about a potentially fatal accident," Salm said.
Police charged Montano with reckless driving and released him. Police told The Palm Beach Post that he didn't appear to be impaired at the time.
The bridge was closed for repairs for five hours after Montano's crash.