A SUV crashed into a home in Clearwater on Saturday after colliding with a car at Ridgelane and Union.
According to reports, a 2003 Toyota Camry, driven by 18-year-old Erick Diaz-Rosales, and a 2006 Ford Explorer, driven by 49-year-old Lori Huntley, were traveling east in the 1400 block of Union Street around 7 p.m. when the SUV began to stop.
Diaz-Rosales was unable to stop in time and crashed into Huntley, police said.
The force of the impact caused Huntley to veer off the road and crash into the living room of a home located at 2089 Ridgelane Road. The Camry continued across the front yard of the home and came to rest inside the garage located at 2096 Ridgelane Road. The home suffered damage to the garage door.
"It was like an explosion, the whole house was just a cloud," said homeowner Ruthann Fisher.
Fisher, her brother and friend were at the dining table playing cards 10 minutes earlier and dodged the crash.
"I had dinner ready and we moved into the kitchen to have dinner," said Fisher.
For a few moments they said it felt like a bomb had detonated inside the home.
"My brother was sitting the counter and stuff came flying at him," said Fisher.
The items in the house belonged to her grandmother which were now broken or severely damaged, but she is thankful that no one including the drivers were hurt.
"I’m just blessed that I’m OK and everybody is OK," Fisher said. "Material things eventually can be replaced.”
Diaz-Rosales was charged with reckless driving as several witnesses reported he was speeding at the time of the crash.
Property damage was estimated to be about $100,000.