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HOLIDAY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Pasco County homeowner said she’s lucky to be alive after a speeding SUV tore through her house Tuesday evening, slamming into her bedroom and leaving the home as a total loss.
3 women, 9-year-old boy hurt after SUV hits pool, goes airborne, then crashes into Holiday house
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said around 6:20 p.m., a 46-year-old woman from Holiday suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel of her Hyundai Santa Fe. The driver then lost control, hit two fences, skipped over a swimming pool, and went airborne, crashing directly into a home along Bahia Avenue.
4 people, including child, hurt when car crashes into Holiday home
Inside the home was the owner Crystal Pankey, and her best friend Cassie Moore, who were both seriously injured, declared trauma alerts, and rushed to an area hospital. Pankey’s husband was in another room and escaped unharmed.
“All of a sudden, we had an explosion. I was thrown against the back wall. When I came to, I was trying to crawl out of the debris, but there was so much blood on my face and body that I couldn’t see,” Pankey said.
Pankey suffered a brain bleed, concussion, and deep cuts that required 22 stitches. Surgeons removed glass from her eye, and doctors warn she may lose vision in her left eye. Moore remains in the ICU with seven broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken arm, and severe shoulder injuries that will require surgery.
“It was just heartbreaking… devastating. I can’t explain how I feel. I’m in shock. I can’t believe this is really happening,” Pankey said.
Family members told 8 On Your Side the SUV hit the home at high speeds — about 60 miles per hour — and the driver, who had blacked out, still had her foot on the gas after the crash.
“The entire house is a total loss. It went through the bedroom, living room, foyer… I still haven’t processed that my house is gone,” Pankey said.
Despite the destruction, all four of the family’s dogs survived without a scratch. Family members have been in contact with the driver, who also had a 9-year-old boy in the car, and say that both are expected to be OK.
“I do not harbor any ill will against her. Accidents happen. I’m sure she’s a great person, and she didn’t mean it,” Pankey said.
It’s the second time a car has crashed into this same home, according to the family. About 15 years ago, another driver plowed through the bathroom while Pankey’s late mother was living there. No one was injured in that crash.
“I’m just in shock. This is just really hard. I never expected this to happen,” Pankey said.
The family has created a GoFundMe to raise money for living expenses, medical bills, and the possessions lost in the accident.