Instant Karma Hits ‘Racist’ Driver Moments After He Flipped Off Bystander

What began as an ordinary afternoon on West Third Street in Greenville, North Carolina, quickly spiraled into a viral cautionary tale laced with racism, mockery, and a dose of instant karma that’s now been viewed over 3 million times.

Jah Love, a local resident, was driving near the intersection of West Third and South Pitt Street last Saturday (July 26) when he noticed the pavement underneath his car shifting. Realizing something was seriously wrong, he pulled over and saw water surging out from below the street. 

A sinkhole was forming, and fast.

Seeing a pickup truck approaching, Love tried desperately to warn the driver by waving, but the man ignored him, flipped him off, and promptly plummeted nose-first into the sinkhole—all because of Love’s race.

A man went viral for trying to warn a driver of a sinkhole in the road, only to get flipped off due to his race

Man in red hoodie and beanie standing indoors by mirror, highlighting racist sinkhole warning karma story.

Image credits: Jah Lovee/Facebook

“I parked my car and I saw the water, the road buckling, everything,” Love said in the now-viral Facebook Live video. “So I moved the detour sign closer and started trying to wave people down to keep them safe.”

“I tried to stop you, boss man,” Love is heard saying in the video following the accident, watching the vehicle get swallowed by the earth.

Black pickup truck near a damaged sidewalk, illustrating instant karma after ignoring sinkhole warning due to color bias.

Image credits: WITN

The situation only worsened after the man was pulled out. After being rescued by a tow truck, the driver didn’t thank Love—or anyone else for that matter. Instead, he doubled down with an unexpected racially charged remark, blaming Love’s skin color for why he didn’t heed the warning.

Damaged road with a large sinkhole causing disruption in a residential neighborhood, illustrating instant karma for ignoring warnings.

Image credits: vanillak.queen.vee

“I don’t want to be rude or anything else,” the man explained himself. “But when a fellow of your color jumps out in front of me and starts waving at my truck…”

The backlash online was swift and unforgiving, with several comments filling Love’s live feed with comments criticizing the driver for his actions and celebrating the delivery of “instant karma.”

Love said helping the man was more important to him than feeling offended, hoping for nothing more than an apology

Black truck approaching a sinkhole on a residential street after a warning was ignored due to racism incident.

Image credits: WITN

“You’re a good man for trying to help others,” a viewer wrote to Love. “Your character tells more than any color ever can.”

On the other hand, Love, reflecting on the moment, admitted he was too focused on preventing injury to immediately process the hateful comment.

 

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A post shared by Chris Miles (@imchrismiles)

“To be real… I was so focused on him not hurting himself, I really didn’t pay it no mind until I started looking at the comments on my live,” he said. 

“Even though he stuck his finger up at me, even if he would’ve went down some more, I would’ve probably still tried to help him.”

Man wearing sunglasses ignoring sinkhole warning, instant karma follows due to racist refusal of man's caution.

Image credits: WITN

Despite the blatant disrespect, Love said that helping the man was the only thing that mattered at that moment. “No matter the color or race, I always still try to help somebody,” he said, only requesting an admission of guilt by the driver in return. 

“I feel like I need an apology.”

Conflicting reports have arisen regarding whether the driver apologized to Love

Comment from Melvin M. Phillips questioning progress in society, highlighting themes of racism and instant karma.

Man standing next to a sidewalk near a truck showing instant karma after refusing sinkhole warning due to color bias

Image credits: WITN

A bystander, Vanilla Adams, confirmed the events. 

“We waved him down and tried to prevent him from turning down this way,” she told WITN News. “But you know, he stuck his middle finger and kept going. After he kept going, the car sank in.”

Screenshot of a Facebook comment by Brian Caldwell reacting with laughing emojis to a live stream discussion.

Image credits: Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey

Conflicting reports have arisen regarding whether the driver apologized to Love. Local outlets mentioned that the man may have offered some form of apology after being rescued from the sinkhole—a fact that Adams confirmed—but Love himself said no such apology was ever directed specifically at him.

Comment from Brian Ace Brooks saying Universe has a way of humbling us, relating to racist instant karma incident.

Man warns about sinkhole while reporter holds microphone during street interview about racism and instant karma incident.

Image credits: Vanillak Adams/Facebook

The apology was never confirmed. But for the internet, the immediate comeuppance the driver faced was more than enough.

“Don’t wait for an apology. Your blessing will come from God,” a user wrote.

“We all bleed the same color,” added another. “Maybe fate gave you what you deserved.”

Man in a white shirt giving an interview about receiving instant karma after refusing a sinkhole warning due to his color

Image credits: WITN

Beneath the drama, however, was a very real infrastructure failure that could have been fatal. According to Greenville Utilities, the sinkhole was caused by a water main break that ruptured underneath West Third Street.

Image credits: WITN-TV

Water began leaking rapidly downhill, weakening the soil and hollowing out the roadway until it finally collapsed.

By Sunday afternoon, the water main itself had been repaired, but the road remained closed while the city worked on repairs.

“Serves him right!” Apology or not, netizens celebrated what they saw as instant payback

Comment from Katrina Strickland reacting to instant karma involving a racist refusing a man's sinkhole warning due to his color.

Comment from Nekio LaShawn Lane about insurance and playing chess related to racist instant karma sinkhole warning.

Comment by Ashley Weir saying That's Karma with a capital K in response to a racist refusing man's sinkhole warning because of his color.

Comment from Natoya Bell reacting to a racist sinkhole warning incident involving color discrimination and instant karma.

Comment questioning the name of the tow company that helped remove a truck from a sinkhole after a racist refusal.

Comment from Lisa Rouse Daniels expressing hope a young man continues to do right despite facing racism and bias.

Comment by Martha Knight Crowder praising a man’s polite handling of a racist sinkhole warning incident involving color.

Screenshot of a Facebook comment saying Serves him right in discussion about racist ignoring sinkhole warning because of his color.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing a man’s racist behavior and the instant karma he faced after ignoring a sinkhole warning.

Comment about hole swallowing man and truck in a discussion about instant karma related to racist sinkhole warning refusal.

Facebook comment by Cynthia Wooten Taylor about ignorance after refusing a man's sinkhole warning due to his color.

Screenshot of a Facebook comment expressing disappointment over racism and urging kindness and understanding among people.

Comment from Wesley Robertson saying some people insist on learning the hard way after sinkhole warning ignored.

Comment from Emma Mason Brooks about being petty after a racist remark and a middle finger gesture related to sinkhole warning.

Comment from Brittany Bowden about instant karma after ignoring sinkhole warning due to color bias on social media.

Screenshot of a Facebook comment by Lolita Alston saying I guess he wanted insurance money in a blue text bubble.

Comment from Tammy Braxton Pollard stating someone deserved to be stuck after ignoring sinkhole warning due to color bias.

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