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Driver veers off street; destroys NY home’s front porch

The unidentified driver was taken by ambulance to hospital; no injuries to home’s residents

By Gordon Block
Watertown Daily Times

WATERTOWN, N.Y. — A home on Starbuck Avenue sustained major damage after a truck drove through and ripped off its front porch.

The unidentified male driver of the black Chevrolet truck was taken to a local hospital by ambulance. Nobody in the home suffered major injuries.

City police and fire crews responded to 871 Starbuck Ave. at about 4:30 p.m.

Sonni R. Seitz, who lives nearby, was driving behind the truck and saw it veer off course, first hitting and splitting a telephone pole at the intersection of Henry Street, sending sparks flying.

“He went right through it,” Ms. Seitz said.

Cutting through the grass, the truck leveled the front porch, essentially ripping it from the house, before coming to a stop in the home’s driveway.

“I’m amazed he didn’t run into the side of the house,” she said.

Ms. Seitz said her sister Nikita Wheeler, a nurse, ran from their car to give first aid to the injured man before police arrived.

Mark M. Justice, said he came over from where he was working down the street when the crash took place. He said the driver of the vehicle was pushing responding firefighters.

Police were unable to speak about potential charges at the scene as they investigated the crash.

City property records indicate the home is owned by Scott M. and Lana L. Vancamp. Mrs. Vancamp declined to speak with media at the scene.

Guilfoyle Ambulance and National Grid crews also responded to the incident.

Video from the crash.

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©2015 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.)