A giant inflatable pumpkin kicked off Halloween a little early this year and played a trick on the community of Peoria, Ariz. Friday when it broke free from its promotional display and disrupted traffic.
Patrick Sparkes and Shayne Smith of Big AZ Promotions, who own the pumpkin, arrived outside of a local sports complex where it had been strapped to the ground, only to find that it wasn't there, according to Newsweek.
They were shocked when the pumpkin disappeared, since 25-foot-tall, 350-pound objects are pretty easy to spot, but this pumpkin was nowhere in sight.
The pair spent 40 minutes driving around looking for it. "I was so shocked to see that it was...bouncing like a basketball all the way down the road," Sparkes told NBC's Arizona affiliate 12 News.
The great pumpkin traveled more than a quarter mile, eventually ending up in a local park.
Authorities have ruled out foul play, saying strong winds are to blame for the jack-o-lantern's escape, according to ABC News.
No one was injured, but both the pumpkin and several streetlights were damaged after the pumpkin made its momentary escape.
