Rolling giant inflatable pumpkin terrorizes Arizona city

Repent, Peoria, Ariz.! The Great Pumpkin has come to reap the sinners.

Local TV station 12 News reports a 25-foot tall, 300 pound inflatable pumpkin broke free of its tether under high winds and bounced around town, frightening, confusing and amusing locals.

A video of the freed pumpkin by local Diego Ramirez shows it barreling across multiple lanes of traffic, looking like a cast-off prop from the set of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

According to 12 News, the pumpkin was part of a Halloween display rented from Big AZ Promotions to promote the upcoming Peoria Monster Bash (reportedly will be a graveyard smash). Big AZ Promotions spent 40 minutes driving around town, tracking down their loose decoration. You wouldn’t think a giant rolling pumpkin would be too hard to find.

12 News reports the pumpkin traveled about a quarter of a mile before becoming stuck in a neighborhood park, where it was finally tracked down and deflated. No injuries were reported, according to KPNX, though street lights at one intersection did take some pumpkin-inflicted damage.

As far as escaped, giant balloon stories this week, a quarter of a mile isn’t very impressive compared with the military’s JLENS blimp, which made it across the state border. Try harder next time, Arizona pumpkin.