Off-Road Park Under Fire: Disgruntled Jeep Owner Sues for Damaging Mangled XJ During Trail Recovery
Oversized Recovery Wreck: A Tale of Debris and Disputes
Breaking up with the trail is sometimes a necessary evil when an off-road adventure takes a wrong turn. For those who’ve ever gotten caught in a sticky situation miles from civilization, the concept of “getting unstuck” is a relatable nightmare. For one reckless owner, however, going full-on trail hero would only lead to catastrophic aftermath.
Meet Rob Smith and his son, the former proud owners of an extensively damaged Jeep Cherokee, rendered nearly unrecognizable post-recovery. After months of wheeling adventures off the beaten path, “getting stuck” on someone else’s property in Midwest’s Lake of the Ozarks Off-Road Park 2 (LOOP2) would be a cautionary tale for enthusiasts near and far.
What prompted the ill-fated 4×4 rescue goes as follows: The Parker, Arizona, residents allowed their son to make it his own ” wheel-life” adventure, a promise he’d always have its back. But during off-roading escapades outside LOOP2, things grew precarious. Smith posted snaps of the recovery, aptly captioned, on Facebook, whereupon loader operator Hardin Sunderland had some choice words, mentioning “rolled windows down’ and “run the fork through the door window”:
“You can see it yourself. The damage? Immeasurable. [Caption]: ‘Stuck?’ I think not.” says the caption. For reasons beyond comprehension, [we] chose to lift/ lift the vehicle at no more than 8’ in the air…”. In hindsight, you’d assume the operator and witnesses were aware of what impending doom awaited. A friend and fellow off-road die-hard, John Korte, chimed in after viewing the aftermath.
- Taken from an inquirer to the Drive Magazine at this point.
