Man Parks His Car Near Lake Erie, the Car Freezes and Becomes Internet Sensation

The resident of the town of Hamburg went out for a night of drinking with his friends and parked his 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer in Hoak's Restaurant’s parking lot.

Unfortunately for Justin, his chosen parking spot is right next to Lake Erie. While this might not have been such an extraordinary situation had he left his car out just for a little while, the young man was smart enough not to drink and drive and came back the next day to pick up his car.

He then discovered that his Mitsubishi Lancer sedan had frozen and was immobilized under a thick block of ice. While he was looking for a solution, he discovered his car had become famous on social media as Buffalo’s Ice Car. A video of his frozen car had over 10 million views the next day, ABCNews reports. The situation quickly became humorous and Justin started a Twitter account for his vehicle and called it @TheIceCar.

Local and regional news stations picked up the story and made Justin’s situation known for even more people. The young man didn’t feel bothered by the issue, and neither did his parents, who stated that they’re happy their son didn’t drink and drive.

“It was a smart move. Even if it doesn’t seem like it now,” Joe Yelen, Justin’s dad, said in an interview with ABC News.

Fortunately for Justin, a towing and recovery company was called by his insurance company and freed the vehicle. In case you’re wondering, their solution was to pour seven 50-pound bags of Calcium Chloride on the four-wheeled popsicle. After the substance made the ice easier to break, the crew freed the car and put it on their trailer. The 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer escaped its icy cage without any damage.