SUV flew off interstate and rolled into my shop!

On friday an Explorer driving on Hwy 30 flew off the road and rolled through the back wall of my shop, bursting open the wall, mangling the support beam and sending tables flying into the back of three of my cars.

Damaged the Berkeley that I had just restored last year and shown at a concours, a nice Austin Healey, and two very nice and very rare Sunbeam hardtops among other things.

What a freak accident... and yes everyone was fine.
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Here is another view of the truck:
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Is the driver still in there???

He picked some expensive examples, compared to what was rolling along with him on I30......

 

Steve, F-ing meow!! We're you in the building when it hit? Glad everyone is alright

Ron

 

Driver climbed out of one of the windows without injury.

 

I was not but the the Austin Healey that took a huge hit was the car I was last working on and I probably would have been standing around it or sitting it had I been there.

 

Glad everyone was okay. Can you post pictures of the berkley, Austin Healy, and the Sunbeams?

 

. . . whereupon he was beaten to a pulp . . .

 

Wow and I thought this was going to be a funny story, like snow coming in, but No way that is no joke. Glad you are all OK, cars can be fixed.

 

OK, I know it's not funny, but look at it from the perspective of the driver that hit the building. I lost control and hit a building and of all buidlings in the area I hit one that had a bunch of rare and exotic sport cars in it. Talk about going out with a bang.

 

As long as his insuance company accepts the quotes to fix all the damage properly I'm not going to be too mad.

 

Before I declare the driver a complete F-tard...what was the reason he flew off the interstate? Was the road slick with snow/ice? Was he texting someone? Did he fall asleep? Run off the road by a mad trucker?

I'd love to hear the story on this one...wow...glad everyone is ok.

 

The roads were clear and dry, don't know the reason, the highway patrol did not ticket him with anything. He was not drunk and it was about 3:30 in the afternoon when it happened.

 

Wonder if anyone will ask to see his cellphone records...

Sober people paying attention don't tend to drive off the road at 3:30 PM...

 

absolutely...distracted drivers piss me off to no end! not saying that happened here...but, yeah right. There may be no records if he was just cruising facebook on his smartphone...unless the carriers can provide data download detail? That would be interesting....

 

Smart phones are using data all the time, checking for emails, getting notifications, checking for new software, etc. Heck I even have a mount for mine and I use it as my GPS unit. There wouldn't be any way to argue it unless he was on his phone.

Either way he is obviously at fault for crashing in to a building.

 

Those things, especially the 2 door, can be complete hell on a slick road without good tires. I hate to think what that thing handled like riding on 15 year old suspension bits.

 

That's one tough truck! Glad everyone is OK!!!

 

Just got the estimates on the repairs to the cars. Hope the insurance company approves them.

 

Best of luck with that.

 

Is that an Explorer? Amazing that the driver walked away.

 

Hmm, no ticket. My wife was in an accident caused by another driver who was also not ticketed. It's rather insulting to the victim imo. Is it common practice to not ticket when there is clearly a violation when an accident occurs (no deaths of course). Just curious.

 

Good thing the building took the brunt!

Sadly, that is exactly what had happened here last summer. Clear roads, mid afternoon. I guess there were trace amounts of THC in the driver; but apparently not from a recent toke.
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/car_crash_story.aspx?storyid=134857&catid=194

 

Iowa is not a "no fault" insurance state ---- So, it is possible to be involved in an accident with another vehicle and not be issued a citation. Also, a mechanical failure (e.g., transmission / differential failure causing seizing, tire blowout, etc.) which causes loss of control of the vehicle will usually not cause the driver to get a ticket. Absent either of those scenarios, however, generally a ticket for "failure to maintain control of vehicle" will be issued to the driver. If the police were not called to report the accident when it occurred, issuing a citation may be delayed until after the insurance / DOT investigation has been completed ---- So, the driver may yet end up getting a ticket at some point later.

 

The insurance company agreed to pay exactly the estimates to fix the cars and parts. It will be an extra hassle to fix them but I am happy with how it turned out.