Family's vacation spoiled by news of an SUV in their home

The Purcell family was enjoying a Florida vacation when their motel phone rang. The caller told them that a Toyota Land Cruiser had driven through their Tennessee home, tearing across the living room, shredding drywall, a couch and coffee table. It crashed through the back wall, where it finally came to rest next to the family's barbecue grill. (Tennessean.com)

Comments

[elchampino]

At least they weren't there when it happened...

[Lou Ford Prefect]

Second time is the charm I guess.

[elchampino]

kind of insane they only charged the guy with speeding and didn't even give him a sobriety test, by the way

[Dick C. Normas]

"It could have been a lot worse. He could have killed himself or someone here,"

Some asshat did that here and DID kill someone. The car went through the house collecting her on the way and made it the the deck on the rear of the house with her pinned under the car.

[thomas]

He was actually aiming for the pool party going on next door.

[G-Man]

I would be pretty upset if an SUV ended up in my house. With today's gas prices I'd be much happier if it were a Prius.

[twerp]

That's scary. I'm glad nobody was home. It sounds unfortunate but the family really is lucky.

[R]

Actually elchampino they administered two field sobriety tests on him and he passed both. I think he probably was speeding and lost control. He's damn lucky he didn't kill anyone...

[elchampino]

At that point though, does sobriety even matter? That means this guy drives this poorly SOBER.

Given the circumstances, I would have given him a Breathalyzer anyway, regardless of whether he passed the field tests. He admitted to drinking earlier and he drove through someone's house - I'd call that "probably cause".

[elchampino]

opps "probable"

[Soo]

I'd be upset, too. I mean, if I wanted a drive-thru in my house, I would have had it built that way. On the other hand, if there had been plans in the works for an extreme makeover for the house, I guess now's the time. Depends on how you look at it: is it lemons, or lemonaide?

Considering I'm a bit cranky today, I'd say lemonaide, but without the sugar.

"If you don't have probable cause, you can't give a Breathalyzer test,"

Doesn't the driver saying "I have been drinking" indicate probable cause??????

[cherie]

Oops that was me, damn thing isn't remembering my info...

[andie]

They wouldn't/couldn't even charge him with reckless driving because there was no intent to do harm? Tnis one confuses me.

Any bets as to whether this guy is the friend or relative of someone on the force or some bigwig?

[lawdog]

Absolutely incredible. As Elchamp said, thankfully there was no one home.

However, the sheer stupidity of both the driver and police department kind of gets my undies in a bunch.

[Reno]

I'm sorry for these people but if your house happens to be positioned in such a way that people are having a hard time avoiding it, maybe your house shouldn't be there. As he said, this isn't the first time it's happened, even though this time was worse than the other.

I hope the driver had more than basic insurance coverage. Mine only covers up to $10,000!

[nellagain]

Oh, that's right, how could I forget--accomodating a car driven so fast that the driver is unable to control it is waaaay more important than where people sleep.

Gee, maybe we should run an american autobahn through your neighborhood.

[Reno]

nell, if you want to sleep where cars obviously come through occasionally, go right ahead. I won't miss you and your oh-so-informative quips.

[sometimesilie]

"We couldn't get him for reckless driving. We didn't feel he intentionally did that"

What is it about not paying attention while piloting a 4500 lb vehicle that is not reckless.

"We're going to ask them about maybe putting up a guardrail," he said. "If not, I might put some boulders up. It's the second time this has happened."

Might? Might?!

as an side, the pathetic state of the American legal system would probably see these people sued for damaging the car of the next guy whose "brakes failed" going through the intersection.

[mickie]

"I would be pretty upset if an SUV ended up in my house. With today's gas prices I'd be much happier if it were a Prius."

I would have wanted the Prius too. At least it would have bounced off instead of barreling through!

[boynamedsue]

They weren't there and its just stuff.

they should have continued enjoying the vacation.

"We're going to ask them about maybe putting up a guardrail,"

Good luck. my uncle's house got plowed by a drunk driver years and years ago. He also planted a large tree in the yard. I'd say 20 years later he cut down that tree. A week later a driver shredded the guardrail and crashed into the house again.

I'd go with the boulder.

[Jack]

What's all the fuss about?

[Phranqlin]

I'd go with the boulders, too, and maybe add a tank trap.

THE HAZARDS OF TAKING A VACATION....FORGET THE PRICE OF GAS

[lawdog]

Maybe he should just dig a moat around his house with a drawbridge for his family.

[angrysockmonkey]

the suv was arrested for breaking and entering

I would think that the adrenalin surge that he got driving thru the house is what gave him the ability to pass the field sobriety test. Should have given him the breathalyzer test to see how drunk he really was.

[Ace]

I can see this happening:
Guy puts up boulders around his house.
Yet ANOTHER driver flies off the road, hits the boulders and gets seriously injured.
Sues the home owner for placing such dangerous items after knowing that there have been incidences before...
AND WINS!!

[Sigh]

I would agree that speeding (alone) might not be probable cause for a breathalyzer or blood test. However, 'leaving the roadway' certainly would be probable cause. Or how about 'Failure to maintain control or improper control' or 'Reckless endangerment by vehicle – misdemeanor' (aka reckless driving). Perhaps even 'Illegal Parking' : )

[chris n cali]

at least it wasn't a parachute-less skydiver..