Owner has had his property struck by vehicles twice in 2 years

PALMER — It’s said that it’s rare for lightning to strike twice in the same place. So imagine two cars driving into your house years apart.

To property owner Marty Smith of Palmer, it’s happened.

Smith, who owns and rents a home at 567 Cobb in Palmer, said around 12:30 a.m., Sunday, the driver of a Chevrolet Sonic hit the front of the house adjacent to the garage.

“It happened again!” said Smith referring to the first incident that occurred in February 2014. He’s unsure why the home seems to be a crash-magnet. “Palmer is a really quiet town.”

Smith said he believes youths who may have spent the evening out “partying” try to skirt downtown Palmer by turning off onto Cobb. The current renter was not home at the time of the incident. However, Smith said three individuals, including a daughter-in-law inside the garage received minor injuries from debris from the impact.

The first go-around with an unruly driver resulted in more substantial physical damage to the same area of the building. Round one took out the garage door also damaging part of the surrounding front support structure. Smith said the Ford Explorer also pushed an ATV that impacted the garage back wall. He said total structure damage came in at about $5,000.

This time, the garage door was hit but remained intact and the opposite support wall damaged. Smith said the size of the vehicle, a compact car versus a larger SUV the first time, caused less physical damage. However, overall costs, he said, will probably be similar to round one.

“I had a contractor come in but haven’t heard anything,” Smith said. “The garage door is there but all four panels will have to be replaced as well as the sheetrock inside.”

Smith said the fact that there is a nearby pre-school should raise concern. The home is located directly across from West Eagle Avenue and the Palmer Lifeways Preschool. Lifeways offers childcare as well.

Smith said the driver of the Aug. 21 incident was arrested by Palmer City Police Department and charged with driving under the influence. Two passengers, Smith said, fled the scene prior to police arrival.

“(I’m) hoping to highlight this problem in the news, so people with think a little more before they let the kids out to party,” Smith concluded.