> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Elderly couple's car left hanging from downtown parking garage after brake failure
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-cliff-hanger/
- Published: 2002-02-14T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:02:14.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Crime, Downtown, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

An elderly Santa Monica couple lost control of their sedan Wednesday, leaving the car hanging from the fourth level of a downtown parking garage.

The couple, who declined to give their names, said the vehicle’s brakes failed to stop the car, which sent their Mercedes over the concrete curb and suspended only by a few safety wires.

Security officers at the parking garage located at Colorado Boulevard and Second Street, witnessed the crash and called police. They rushed to pull the visibly shaken couple from the vehicle.

The Santa Monica Fire Department was called to stabilize the car while a tow truck pulled it to safety.

“It’s a brand new car,” said the elderly woman. “Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/021402-04_01.jpg)

Members of the Santa Monica Fire Department on Monday stabilize a car teetering from a downtown parking garage. (Photo: Andrew H. Fixmer/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 14, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/021402.pdf?ref=smdp.com)