19-Year-Old Injured After His Attempt to Jump Over a Moving Car to Impress College Recruiters Goes Horribly Wrong

Image source: YouTube

A Florida teenager is recovering after his attempt to jump over a moving car in a bid to impress college football recruiters went horribly awry Wednesday.

Police in Palm Bay said Bladimir Barreto, 19, was conscious and bleeding when he was flown by helicopter to a trauma center for treatment, Florida Today reported. He had several broken bones and head injuries, and required 89 stitches in one leg, WKMG-TV reported.

“He’s lucky that it wasn’t worse than what it was,” Palm Bay Police Department spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez told the newspaper. “The motive was apparently to video something to show to college recruiters for football."

Graphic video of the botched stunt shot by Barreto's brother shows Barreto sprinting on a roadway toward an oncoming white car driven by another brother. Barreto is hurtled into the air and flips several times before slamming to the ground.

​Content warning -- graphic images

Paramedics were on the scene within minutes working to stabilize him, according to Florida Today.

"I feel really bad for them, I know they weren't expecting that at all," Cameron Tennant, a longtime friend who went to school with the Barretos, told WKMG. "I mean he's always doing stuff like that and he's always getting it right, so I guess he just got over confident."

As the Huffington Post noted, Barreto may have been inspired by a 2008 viral Nike ad that showed Kobe Bryant seemingly leaping over a moving Aston Martin. In the ad, Bryant warned viewers not to try it themselves.

Police said reckless driving charges are pending for the 17-year-old brother who was behind the wheel, as well as for not having a valid license, according to Florida Today.