"Instant karma!": Vandals try to plow down giant snowman — hit tree stump

A couple in Petersburg, Kentucky, built a 9-foot snowman together, only to realize the giant spectacle had attracted vandals. Their work of art could not be destroyed, though, and the vandals received a dose of karma for trying to plow into the snowman with their car.

Cody Lutz said his fiance was visiting him in Kentucky and was excited to experience the biggest snowfall she's ever seen. His soon-to-be-wife, Laura, is from Mississippi, so when snow fell during her weekend trip, the couple celebrated.

"We had a full weekend of sledding, snowball fights ... and making the most of the winter wonderland," Lutz told CBS News via email. "Of course, that included building a snowman!"

The couple used a massive tree stump in the front yard as a base for the towering snowman. When they finished making him, he was nearly 10 feet tall and had a massive top hat. It was hard to miss their masterpiece.

"Everyone driving by loved him, and waved and honked to express their delight," Lutz said. "However, evidently not everyone was a fan! I arrived home to find a set of tire tracks across my yard, ending abruptly at the base of the snowman." Lutz realized someone tried to drive into their snowman, but since the base of it was a stump, the would-be vandals failed — miserably. 

"The massive stump is now exposed, with a snowy imprint of a bumper stuck to it!" Lutz said.

"Apparently Frosty had been handing out life lessons to some very-surprised 4x4 vandals," he joked. "'You reap what you sow!' Still standing, and still smiling, Frosty certainly had the last laugh!"

The couple feels their stump-based snowman was meant to be built to teach the vandals a lesson. In an interview with l WXIX-TV, Lutz said it was "Instant Karma!"