Two people went to the hospital after an SUV went into a W. Dade townhouse. (CBS4)
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Two people were taken to the hospital after an SUV crashed through a palm tree, two fences and a wall in a townhome in West Miami-Dade.
It happened Tuesday evening in the 300 block of NW 84th Court. 47-year-old Carlos Pacheco was watching television in the living room when a silver Isuzu Rodeo crashed through a wall and shattered the back sliding glass door, leaving him covered in glass.
His wife, Lily Braule, was across the room when the SUV barreled through. Her mother in law and 13-year-old son were also in the home but weren’t hurt.
“I thank God,” said Lily Braule. She and her husband, Carlos Pacheco, were sitting inside their living room when the driver of an SUV came crashing through their window, knocking Pacheco to the floor.
“I panicked,” Braule said. She rushed over to help her husband, who was later taken to the hospital with bruises to his face and body.
Police have identified the driver as 38-year-old Anibal Ortiz, who was also taken to the hospital and treated. He has since been released.
Police ticketed Ortiz for careless driving at the scene, but say he could face DUI-related charges pending toxicology results.
Pacheco’s neighbors say the accident was similar to at least one other that happened close to Pacheco’s home.
Resident Danny Conde says he fears another accident could happen again.
“It could’ve been me there you know? This area here, it’s not really protected.. the fences are not reinforced,” Conde said. “Any car could just come through and do the same thing!”
Neighbors heard a loud bang and came running.
“A couple of minutes earlier, three minutes earlier, he was sitting outside smoking and he had just walked in. So it was him, his mom and the neighbor. So three minutes earlier, they would have killed all of them,” said Maria Mendez.
Pacheco was taken to Kendall Regional Hospital.
“He had a lot of bruising around his face and scabs and blood running all over. But the main thing is he has glass all over his body, embedded in his body and it is very painful,” said Mendez.
Managers of the community’s homeowner’s association said it will pay to replace the damaged fences. Braule and Pacheco will have to repair their townhome and replace their things that were crushed.
