August 7, 2009

A car went over an embankment and through the roof of a garage and a house in a bizarre accident Friday morning in Charlottesville.

Charlottesville Police say just after midnight Friday a suspect broke into a home in the 700 block of Holland Avenue. The suspect stole a woman's purse containing car keys. Police say the suspect then drove off in a 2005 Ford 500.

Around 2:40am Friday, police radar picked up the stolen vehicle speeding northbound on Rugby Road. Police gave chase until eventually the suspect ran off the road at the intersection or Rugby and Preston Avenue.

The suspect's car hit a pedestrian signal and ran over the curb. The car then went airborne, took the roof off a shed, went through that shed and into the roof of the house at 1004 Rugby Road, hit a tree 20 feet in the air, hit another tree, and finally came to rest in a yard.

When officers found the car, the suspect was gone.

Owners of the damaged garage and house tell CBS19 they woke up to the noise of the crash.

"The policeman said in 30 years they have never seen anything like it. Everybody was standing there with their mouth open and scratching their heads," said Russell Skinner.

Because of the severe nature of the crash, police are checking with area hospitals to see if anyone came in for treatment of injuries for an automobile crash.

The homeowners say they will have to move out for six months while the repairs are made.