Man charged after crashing vehicle into Hampton home
By Lex Gray and Kara Dixon Published: September 11, 2016, 10:22 am Updated: September 14, 2016, 5:30 pm
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A driver was charged after his vehicle crashed into a home with five people inside.
Emergency dispatchers got the call just before 9:40 a.m. Sunday. Emergency crews responded to the home on North King Street, near Rip Rap Road. Both roads were blocked off while the accident scene was being cleared.
Witnesses in the area say they heard a loud crash, looked outside and saw a Jeep SUV overturned in a front yard. Some witnesses could only describe the accident as “unbelievable.”
Homeowner Douglas Pettie, who rents the house out, said, “I got a phone call saying someone had ran into one of my houses. I immediately left church and came down to see what was going on.”
Officials say five people, including three children, were inside the home when the bus crashed into it.
“I was praying to God that no one was seriously hurt, because I have tenants in that home.”
No one inside the home was hurt in the accident.
There were several people in the SUV; three of the passengers complained of minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for evaluation, according to Sgt. M.J. Bond with Hampton Police.
Sgt. Bond said the investigation revealed the driver, 76-year-old James Peterson Sr., lost control and hit two parked vehicles, then hit the front porch of the home in the 900 block of N. King Street.
Peterson was charged/summonsed for one court failure to maintain control.
Units on scene worked to stabilize the home to keep it from falling apart so that the bus could be towed away, according to Hampton fire officials.
The home has been condemned and the American Red Cross was called to assist the displaced family.