BERLIN (AP) – A farmer in Germany has learned a harsh lesson about the dangers of smoking.

While he ducked into a convenience store to buy cigarettes, his parked tractor and its load of 25 tons of potatoes went rolling down a hill – and over a parked car.

Police say the emergency brake came loose while the farmer was in the store, and the tractor and its two trailers barreled 30 yards downhill before slamming into the parked car and crushing it against a wall.

Police in the western German village of Viersen said Wednesday that the car was a “total loss.” The tractor and trailers, however, emerged unscathed.

AP-ES-07-02-08 1033EDT