Cincinnati traffic reporter and meteorologist KJ Jacobs witnessed a car accident during a live report—and nearly had an on-air accident of his own.
Last Thursday, Jacobs was standing in front of footage of Interstate 71, guiding Cincinnati viewers through the morning traffic, when the road behind him suddenly demanded his full attention.
Watching the stalled car in the center lane, Jacobs explained what was unfolding:
“I am watching this car right here. This is I-71 at Gilbert Avenue, right by the station, so northbound. This car is in the center lane, traffic is slowing down on both sides around this car, as well as that on ramp…”
As another car merged into the lane and seemingly failed to notice the stalled vehicle, it slammed into the back of it. Jacobs nearly drove the live report straight into NSFW territory with an “Oh sh–” before cutting himself off and covering his mouth.
With his filter narrowly surviving an on-air collision, Jacobs recovered:
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Literally just watched a crash happen in real time, and I almost said something inappropriate…”
To be fair, the second driver probably said a lot worse during and after the collision.
Jacobs then returned to the scene unfolding behind him:
"You can see this car just smash right into this car in real time. That car was in the center lane with those hazards on. I was watching it closely.”
The crash looked rough, but thankfully, the aftermath wasn’t nearly as dramatic. Jacobs checked with local police and learned that two people in the stalled car were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other driver was not injured.
Jacobs posted the wild moment on social media, where it quickly took off and has since racked up millions of views.
And really, you have to see this one unfold for yourself:
The Cincinnati Police Department also told Jacobs that the driver who struck the stalled vehicle was cited. Talk about a rough morning. It’s one thing to get into an accident, but doing it on live television leaves very little room for pretending it never happened.
Several viewers pointed out that the driver’s insurance company now has some rather convenient video evidence. As for Jacobs’ own close call, social media users were willing to let that one slide.
See how the comment section reacted to Jacobs’ near-NSFW detour below:
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After the clip went viral, Jacobs told People that more than a decade in television news hadn’t prepared him for what unfolded behind him.
He reflected on just how unusual the live-TV moment was:
“In more than 12 years in television news, I’ve covered everything from tornadoes and hurricanes to major breaking news, but let’s just say I was stunned... It was definitely one of the most unexpected moments I’ve experienced on air.”
Jacobs is no stranger to unpredictable conditions. A native of the Carolinas, he brought years of weather and traffic experience to Cincinnati after working in Charlotte, Norfolk, and Myrtle Beach. He now handles both for WCPO 9’s Good Morning Tri-State.
Still, all that experience couldn’t keep his filter from briefly skidding:
“[I] caught myself in a millisecond by covering my mouth before totally committing to it. I rarely use profanity and certainly was a first close call for live TV.”
For a reporter whose job is helping viewers navigate trouble on the road, Jacobs handled his own unexpected detour pretty impressively. This is one traffic report he probably won’t forget.
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