Dog gets behind wheel of semi, crashes into tree and parked car

https://twitter.com/DavidStegora/status/705833064232935424

Every dog has his day, but it proved to be a bad one for this pup who crashed a truck in Mankato.

Exercising paw judgement, the labrador retriever accidentally threw an idling semi into gear while its owner was in a nearby store, FOX 9 reports.

The truck then crashed into a tree and a car parked outside a Kwik Trip along Highway 169 at around 2 p.m. Friday.

The Mankato Free Press reports there was initial confusion about what had happened, with witnesses including David Stegora, who took the above picture, unable to understand how the truck was moving by itself.

The reason became apparent when the white dog poked its head out of the driver's side window after the crash.

https://twitter.com/jessblanchard44/status/705834655795130368

And it could have been worse, with KEYC reporting the truck crossing the Wilson Trailer Sales parking lot and then North River Drive before hitting the tree and entering the gas station lot.

A huge disaster was averted when a quick-thinking onlooker managed to stop the vehicle by jumping into the cab and putting the semi in park before it could reach the gas pumps.

The dog is not licensed – at least, not for driving – but no citations were issued. The lab is however believed to have been confined to its kennel without any treats.