East Hallam house struck by vehicle Saturday to be demolished
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The driver of a vehicle that struck an East Hallam Avenue house Saturday evening has been identified as Alejandre Sanchez, 38, of 406 Houston St., Washington.
Washington police said Sanchez suffered minor facial injuries when his vehicle came down Wheat Avenue about 7 p.m., traveled onto East Hallam Avenue, went airborne and struck the home of Richard Cox at 451 E. Hallam Ave.
Police said Sanchez was bleeding from the mouth when he was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Police reported they could smell an alcoholic beverage on Sanchez, but that he did not speak English. Police said Sanchez’ daughter translated for police while at the hospital so they could test his blood-alcohol content. Police said in a report they plan to file driving under the influence charges.
Meanwhile, the homeowners, Cox and his wife, Tammy Cox, are facing the loss of the house, which will have to be demolished due to the damage done to the foundation in the crash, according to Ron McIntyre, the city’s code enforcement officer. The Coxes had been in the process of renovating the home.
“We had just put a lot of money into that house,” Tammy said Monday.
She said the house had a brand new kitchen, cabinets, a new bathroom, all new drywall and electrical work. At the scene Saturday, Richard had stated that he had just purchased new wood to repair the porch.
Richard had been sitting on a bucket on the porch Saturday evening when he heard the SUV come down the alley. He said at the scene that he had moved out of the way of the car just in time. His friend William Sarasnick had been sitting in the driver’s seat of his parked car next to the house. The SUV landed on the hood of his car when it struck the corner of the house.
At the scene, Richard Cox and Sarasnick did not appear to have sustained any injuries, but Tammy Cox said both went to the hospital later that night, Richard for side pain and Sarasnick for neck pain.
“When something like that happens, you’re in a state of shock and you don’t feel the pain right away,” Tammy said. “My husband’s whole side is bruised, and Bill, who was in the car, his neck is all messed up.”
City police and firefighters responded to the scene. Fire Chief Gerry Coleman said two local towing companies removed the vehicles from the house, which “took pretty severe damage.”
“He was very lucky he wasn’t killed,” Coleman said of Richard Cox.
Tammy Cox said that when the vehicles were removed, she “was scared the whole house was going to come down.”
A wooden post was put up to help stabilize the house until it can be demolished. While the Coxes said the house is insured, Tammy said she’s hoping Sanchez has insurance that will cover the demolition cost.