DETROIT (WXYZ) — A family is displaced after a speeding car crashed into their home on Detroit’s west side Sunday afternoon, hitting a gas meter and sparking a fire.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
The crash happened on Harlow Street at Puritan just before 4 p.m. Police said the driver of a Ford Fusion lost control of the sedan and crashed into the house.
Three people inside the home during the crash were not hurt. The displaced woman said she is the primary caregiver for her son and her elderly father, who is battling cancer. She said she lost almost everything in the fire and is now trying to find temporary housing.
The driver, a man in his mid-20s, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Police said he was cited for reckless driving after sideswiping a vehicle on Puritan before crashing into the house.
Witnesses said the driver was traveling about 60 to 70 mph.
"They were trying to go around a vehicle that was going slower than they were going, and they clipped two cars that were parked and lost control and went right into this house," Charles King said.
"We heard a boom and a big, another boom and it kinda, kinda shook us," Anthony Harris said.
The driver was unavailable for comment. His father said a black pickup truck was chasing his son, hitting his car and causing him to crash into the house.
Janis Coleman, who grew up in the home, was among the passersby surveying the wreckage.
"It brings back a whole lot of memories and a whole lot of emotions are bundling up inside of me right now. We had such good times here, and just to look at it, it blows my mind," Coleman said.
Stephen Grady Muhammad is from the community violence intervention group Detroit 300 2.0.
"When you have a family that’s harmed like this, we have to do whatever we can do to help them. So, we do have access to some resources and we’re going to provide that and the support that they may need to get through this," Muhammad said.
An online fundraising campaign has been created to help the displaced family. You can view the GoFundMe here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
