Car hits house when driver suffers medical issue
Updated: January 22, 2013
Update: 10:34 pm
CHAMPAIGN -- Neighbors were in shock after a car flipped and crashed into a home. It happened just before 5:00 pm in the 600-block of West Columbia Avenue.
One man who lives nearby said scenes like this one have become all too familiar. Flipped on its roof, car parts all over the yard. It's hard to explain how a car went from driving on the road to knocking on a home's front door.
"Witnesses said he was moving very slowly and the vehicle just kind of took off randomly," said Sgt. Greg Manzana, Champaign Police Department.
He said the driver suffered a medical problem while behind the wheel.
"According to witnesses the vehicle was traveling kind of sporadically and just did not make a lot of sense the way the driver was operating the vehicle."
"It sounded like a small explosion actually, and I had no idea where it came from," said neighbor Travis Ross.
He was in his home down the block when it happened. He couldn't help but get flashbacks after finally seeing the mangled mess himself.
"One happened in my front yard where it tossed the car up by my front porch, almost was exactly like this," he said. "I have little kids that like to play outside and stuff like this is really scary for us because what would happen if the kids were outside?"
Ross feels drivers are taking chances along Columbia Avenue by speeding and blowing stop signs. But police insist this crash had nothing to do with someone breaking the law.
"I don't believe it was a heart attack but some sort of medical condition that caused him to lose control of his vehicle," said Sgt. Manzana.
Amazingly, the driver was able to walk away from the crash. He wasn't seriously hurt but he was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Original: 5:15pm
CHAMPAIGN -- One man was taken to the hospital after losing control of his car and hitting a house. It happened just before 5 pm in the 600-block of West Columbia. Police say it appears the driver had a medical issue causing him to lose control. His condition is improving. No one else was hurt.
CHAMPAIGN -- Neighbors were in shock after a car flipped and crashed into a home. It happened just before 5:00 pm in the 600-block of West Columbia Avenue.
One man who lives nearby said scenes like this one have become all too familiar. Flipped on its roof, car parts all over the yard. It's hard to explain how a car went from driving on the road to knocking on a home's front door.
"Witnesses said he was moving very slowly and the vehicle just kind of took off randomly," said Sgt. Greg Manzana, Champaign Police Department.
He said the driver suffered a medical problem while behind the wheel.
"According to witnesses the vehicle was traveling kind of sporadically and just did not make a lot of sense the way the driver was operating the vehicle."
"It sounded like a small explosion actually, and I had no idea where it came from," said neighbor Travis Ross.
He was in his home down the block when it happened. He couldn't help but get flashbacks after finally seeing the mangled mess himself.
"One happened in my front yard where it tossed the car up by my front porch, almost was exactly like this," he said. "I have little kids that like to play outside and stuff like this is really scary for us because what would happen if the kids were outside?"
Ross feels drivers are taking chances along Columbia Avenue by speeding and blowing stop signs. But police insist this crash had nothing to do with someone breaking the law.
"I don't believe it was a heart attack but some sort of medical condition that caused him to lose control of his vehicle," said Sgt. Manzana.
Amazingly, the driver was able to walk away from the crash. He wasn't seriously hurt but he was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Original: 5:15pm
CHAMPAIGN -- One man was taken to the hospital after losing control of his car and hitting a house. It happened just before 5 pm in the 600-block of West Columbia. Police say it appears the driver had a medical issue causing him to lose control. His condition is improving. No one else was hurt.
Comments
Although I respect the concern that Mr. Ross has for the safety of his street and children, and although it may be a fact that drivers speed down Columbia Ave and blow stop signs, I disagree with the inclusion of his comments and concerns in this news report. Despite the fact that there was an accident that ended up in Mr. Ross' yard in the past, this incident was not a matter of disobeying speed limits or stop signs. The driver suffered an unexpected and unavoidable medical emergency while behind the wheel. I would have appreciated a greater focus on the miracle that no one, including the driver, was injured.
Amanda A.
January 23, 2013 at 7:39 am
