What was supposed to be a celebratory ceremony for a new hotel at California’s Sky River Casino turned into a heart-stopping spectacle on Monday afternoon when a hot air balloon slammed directly into the side of the casino building.
Dramatic video captured by KCRA 3’s LiveCopter 3 shows the balloon, which launched from an empty parking lot at the casino near Elk Grove south of Sacramento — getting caught by a sudden gust of wind and careening into the structure around 12:10 p.m.
The basket struck the building at a sharp angle — tilting nearly 90 degrees at one point — while the lone pilot remained inside.
