Family: Truck that slammed into Detroit house almost hit 2 kids
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By Amy Lange Fox 2 News Reporter
DETROIT (WJBK) -- Boards have replaced bricks after a wall and side door of a home on Ethel on Detroit's southwest side was destroyed when a pickup truck crashed into the house about 10:00 p.m. Sunday.
"It was terrifying because we didn't know what it was," said Tawana Simmons.
Tawana and Thomas Simmons were getting ready for bed and about to watch the news when they heard and felt the impact. Their three children were terrified.
"I looked and I (saw) the front nose of the truck with my door missing, airbags deployed, no one in the vehicle," said Thomas Simmons.
The driver had run away. People from the neighborhood tracked him down and police arrested him for driving drunk. We're told he had hit other cars and may have hydroplaned into the Simmons' family home because of a broken water main they had been calling about for days. It's finally being repaired.
"He hydroplaned. He hit two other cars, (spun) one 360 and came 80 miles per hour into our home at ten o'clock at night," Thomas Simmons said.
It could've been much worse. 16-year-old Thomas was holding his two-year-old brother Tremayne and about to go down the stairs adjacent to the wall when the truck barreled through. 13-year-old Tylan had just come up from the basement.
"I went to step downstairs and the whole door and side of the house just exploded," the 16-year-old said.
"Thank God he didn't make it halfway down that step because this could be actually a tragedy," his father said.
It was a miracle that nobody was hurt, but the damage to the house is more than the Simmons family can afford to fix.
"I hope he has insurance, but if he doesn't, we're stuck here with kids and a hole in our house," the elder Thomas Simmons said.
If you might be able to help with repairs, send me an e-mail at amy.lange@foxtv.com.
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