A very scary Saturday AM....

So, was the driver drunk or was he talking on a cell phone?

Probably neither, Ray. The paramedics drew blood, checking blood sugar levels and most likely blood alcohol levels, too. I did hear blood sugar was fine. The driver was released from the hospital and not arrested so probably alcohol not involved. I could see no phone when I looked into the car. No smell of alcohol. Driver called our house yesterday to provide some info Florida Highway Patrol didn't have at the time of the accident. We weren't here....he left a message...apologizing for what happened and to tell us he has no idea what happened.
His car was traveling southbound on a road behind our house...a four lane road with a good sized median between traffic directions.....he veered left, jumped the curb, crossing the median taking out two crepe myrtle trees, crossed the northbound lane , jumped another curb, crossed the southbound golf cart lane, another median, the northbound golf cart lane, plowed through a fence, taking out the 4 horizontal rails and the 7 inch round vertical post holding the rails, drove about 45 feet into my back yard, drove between two queen palms directly outside the spa area, through the aluminum cage, over the edge of the spa and finally came to a stop an inch or two from my living room sliding door. The front axle near at the drivers's side broke. The engine was still running and revving when the car stopped. Not sure if driver was hitting the gas pedal or what. When he was sitting in the grass with the paramedics treating him, he sounded confused. He didn't really know where he was, but knew where he had been.

Insurance company is working, we both have the same provider...they're paying ....sure they weren't too happy to find out they covered both... ....repair people have come, provided estimates, the property management people for our community have started repairs to the area where the car broke through the fence. In that area an inground sprinkler control box was also broken.

The wrecking company that removed the car from the lanai managed to get it out without causing one little bit of additional damage. It was an amazing thing to witness.

No idea at all. Don't know if he fell asleep, had a seizure, was drunk and blacked out, or the car took off on it's own. So many questions, indeed...not sure if we'll ever find out. His medical information is private, the report from the Highway Patrol just lists who was involved with insurance information. If he has a medical condition that can render him an unsafe driver, his license needs to be revoked, for his safety and that of others. If we ever find out what truly happened, I'll be surprised. No one was hurt and things can be replaced or repaired.

Thanks, Joan, we are!

Pat - That was a Toyota. Check Google for Toyota recalls.

Thanks Jem. When I looked yesterday, I didn't see this particular car model and year listed. Not sure who would be checking to find out if it was mechanical, electronic, or driver error. I'd like to know.

Pat - Considering that it was 2:30 AM, my bet is on the driver having nodded off. Same as what Raybar suggested...a sleepy driver.

My instincts tell me the same thing, Jem.

" ... metal mesh curtains ... "

In your area, some sort of window protection is a sensible precaution in case of hurricanes and other big storms.

And maybe some of those large concrete barriers between your house and the Road of Death? Yikes!

Actually, the K rails sound like a good idea to me... ;D. I'll put the bushes around them.

Still trying to figure out where I've heard that sound....oh well.

Oh, my gosh, Pat. I know the feeling. Some years ago I was awakened in the middle of the night by a loud boom! My heart was racing like crazy. I looked out my window from my bedroom (which faced the front of the house near the street) and I saw a car with the headlights on, facing what I considered the wrong side of the street. What we discovered was the car WAS facing the wrong side of the street but in our front yard! after plowing through our chained-link fence and taking off one side of our carport. It was driven by a college kid who was studying late at a friend's house and fell asleep at the wheel. A cop came and examined the guy and found he was not drunk or on drugs. The next day he and his father came to our house to apologize.

The thing is I think it was so miraculous that there was no injuries to him or his passenger and that the car instead of plowing into our
bedrooms which was in front of the house, turned 180 degress to face the total opposite direction in the front yard. Later, when I looked at pictures we took, I saw in what was left of the side of the carport was two pieces of wood that formed a cross.

Lily