Nanaimo RCMP is investigating after a car left the Old Island Highway and crashed into the side of a house Sunday night, narrowly missing a young girl inside.
The car was heading southbound on Highway 19A around 10:30 Sunday night when the driver lost control and went across the highway at Highland Boulevard and hit a parked car before lodging in the side of a home.
“The vehicle actually came to rest about two metres from where the girl was in bed,” said Const. Gary O’Brien with Nanaimo RCMP.
The home is at the intersection of Highland Boulevard and Cosgrove Crescent.
O’Brien says the woman driving the blue Mitsubishi Eclipse was not seriously injured and RCMP has now launched an impaired driving investigation.
Jeff Heaslip, the girl’s father, says he had just gotten into bed when he heard the crash.
“It’s insane. It happened so quick you don’t know what to think,” said Heaslip.
At first, he thought a tree had fallen on the house but after going downstairs he found the car and debris on his daughter’s bed where she was.
“I grabbed her and told everybody to get out of the house,” said Heaslip.
The Nanaimo house was found to be structurally unsound so an engineer is helping assess the house today. The house may have to be shored up before they remove the car.
“Given the extent of structural damage to the home, it is simply astounding that no one was injured in this incident, “said O’Brien.
BC Hydro and Fortis crews attended and shut off all utilities going to the home.
The family was given emergency lodging at a hotel Sunday night.
Heaslip says his daughter is doing alright.
“She’s pretty strong. It didn’t seem to phase her.”
CHEK News
