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Sheriff: Drunk driver smashes into Kenosha County home

Driver faces his 3rd OWI charge
Posted at 12:19 PM, Oct 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-16 13:32:07-04

KENOSHA COUNTY -- A Paddock Lake man is thankful he wasn't seriously injured after a pickup truck drove into his home Sunday evening. 

It happened the intersection of 65th St. and 245th Ave. around 6:35 p.m.

According to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department,  a 58-year old man was the lone occupant of the vehicle. Authorities allege the man was driving while intoxicated and lost control of his pickup truck while traveling south on 245th Ave. Following the crash, he was taken to the hospital for treatment of what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.  

Charges against the man are pending his release from the hospital. 

He will be "charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated (3rd offense), as well as a felony Probation and Parole hold," the Sheriff's Department said in a news release. "[The man] is on Felony Parole for a 2003 incident where he was charged with two counts of Operating while Intoxicated Causing Death." 

The only person inside the home during the crash was Carl Ford, who said he's lived there for about a year. 

"I just heard a loud bang. The whole house shook," Ford said. 

He said the vehicle smashed into a water spigot on the exterior of the home, which he rents, so water began filling the house. 

"I had to run around, shut everything off, shut the electrical off," Ford said. 

Ford said he threw out his back while working to get the situation under control. But he said he's grateful that's the only injury he suffered. 

"I never thought this would happen to me," Ford said. "But you have to just roll with the punches, I guess."

Ford works in construction, and plans to continue to reside at the house while his landlord and the company he works for do the necessary repairs to the exterior. 

He did not have an estimate on the total damage the crash caused, but said there is some minor structural damage to the home.