http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/lauderdale-lakes/fl-lauderdale-lakes-car-home-20151119-story.html Two people escaped serious injury when a car came barreling through a house in Lauderdale Lakes.
The woman who police say was driving the car was later arrested.
The crash happened about 2 a.m. Thursday, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.
The car was driving northbound in the 3900 block of Northwest 52nd Avenue when it failed to negotiate a curve in the road, spokesman Mike Jachles said.
The car squeezed between a 25 mph speed limit sign and a guardrail, traveled up the driveway, past several trees, through the front of the single-family home and into the bedroom where Freginald Dauphin, 38, was sleeping.
"I'm OK. No problem. No stress," he said.
He said his roommate Clairecina Lohier, 42, suffered cuts to her left leg.
"She's hurt," he said in broken English.
Lohier's leg was bandaged at the hospital and she and Dauphin returned to the scene a short time later to survey the damage.
A building inspector determined the house was structurally unstable and posted an orange notice beside the opening that was once a living room wall.
Every room of the house was damaged except for one bathroom. Electrical wiring was ripped from some walls and a column and beam that support the roof were shifted by the impact.
Florida Power & Light Co. crews turned off the electricity in the house because of the risk of exposed live wires.
After the car was removed and plywood was nailed over the gaping holes in the wall, Dauphin said he and Lohier will have to stay with relatives in Hallandale Beach.
The driver of the runaway car was identified as Nicole Danielle Bailey, 21, of Coral Springs, who initially left the scene of the crash but returned asking if anyone had seen her car, Jachles said.
"She was observed, by neighbors, walking around the street wearing only a bra and pants," Jachles said. "She returned to the scene uttering, 'I'm looking for my Volkswagen Jetta,' numerous times to deputies."
He said Bailey seemed disoriented but it was not immediately known if she was impaired while driving.
Deputies took her into custody and she declined to speak to them. Her identification and marijuana were found in plain view in the car's console, Jachles said.
Bailey was booked into the Broward County Main Jail shortly after 8 a.m. and charged with failing to remain at an accident involving non-serious injuries, records show.
