"I was in complete bewilderment," said Mr. Habay, 20, of Hampton, a junior at Allegheny College. "At first I thought it was a car, but when I turned around there was no car. I was confused." So were a lot of other people in Meadville yesterday.

Meadville police said the episode began around 9:45 a.m. about 3,600 feet away, near Allegheny College's Pelletier Library, where a crane was demolishing part of the building. That's where the cable holding the 3-foot-diameter wrecking ball snapped, starting its downhill tumble from the college to the town. Police said crane operator Robby L. Boring, 28, of Meadville, was injured when he tried to stop the wrecking ball by throwing bricks in front of it.

As it gained momentum, the wrecking ball rumbled from the campus along North Main Street, pinballing back and forth across the street, hitting nine parked cars and damaging curbs with each impact. By the time it reached Mr. Habay's car at North Main and Randolph streets, it had gained enough momentum to crush the trunk into the back seat, showering Mr. Habay with glass and pushing his car into the two cars in front of him. The fourth car in line was a Meadville police cruiser.