NORWICH, Conn. — A Willimantic man is facing charges and a family escaped unharmed after an astonishing crash that landed a Jeep SUV in the second story of Norwich home early Saturday morning.
Police say it all began around 1:30 a.m. with reports of someone ramming cars in the parking lot of a local bar, and then taking off at high speed. When police found the vehicle, it was embedded in the second story of a home on West Thames Street.
The car had struck two utility poles, and apparently run up over a large rock on the side of the home's driveway at a high rate of speed, which launched it into the house.
Police said the operator of the vehicle was identified as William Lassiter of Willimantic. Lassiter was taken to Backus Hospital where he was admitted with non-life threatening injuries. Lassiter was later held on an outstanding warrant out Willimantic and held on $75,000 court bond.
The East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department responded. Power lines from the damaged poles had been pulled down on the car. Mutual aid was called in from the Norwich Fire Department and Emergency Management, power was shut off and the vehicle was stabilized. A firetruck bucket enabled firefighters to extricate the driver safely; he was transported to the hospital.
Fire officials say that the residents were able to get out of the house on their own, but say one did sustain a minor injury.
"Teamwork was the key in this particular incident," The East Great Plains Fire Department said in a Facebook post. "It's not very often we get calls like this, but with coordinated teamwork, the patient was removed safely and no injuries to the firefighters, and a minor injury to one of the residents."
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
