The scene at the corner of state Route 508 and Central Avenue. / Courtesy photo by Lewis County Sheriff’s Office
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Only one person was hurt when an 87-year-old motorist traveling on state Route 508 in Onalaska hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes, veered off the highway and struck a house yesterday.
The pregnant homeowner was resting on a couch and three children were playing in a front bedroom, all near where the 1996 Buick Roadmaster made contact with the structure, according to authorities.
Lewis County Fire District 1 Assistant Chief Rhonda Volk said the car’s front end struck a post, and spun the car 180 degrees, leaving it parallel with the front porch.
“The post maybe slowed him down, thankfully,” Volk said.
Deputies and aid were called just before 1 p.m. to the scene at the northwest corner of Central Avenue.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reports the elderly man was westbound when a Ford Expedition in front of him slowed to make a turn.
“He went to apply the brakes but instead, applied pressure to the accelerator,” Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said.
His car sideswiped the Expedition, swiped the rear of a Volkswagen Jetta and broke a telephone pole in half before reaching the house, Brown said.
Neither he nor the three other occupants of the affected vehicles were injured, but his passenger, an 86-year-old woman, was transported to the hospital with rib pain, according to Volk.
Siding on the house was damaged as well as possibly framing and the foundation, according to the sherif’s office.
The man whose name was not released but is from Kirkland, was cited for wheels off the roadway, Brown said. His car was totaled.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Maybe the charge should be changed to negligent driving or reckless. Wheels off the roadway just sounds silly but people who do dopey things while driving should be held accountable.
Whyhere, i agree completely! Such a ridiculous & bogus reason for a citation..as if anyone receiving these tickets intentionally had their “wheels off roadway”
@ whywhere: It was negligent driving! He should be cited! I am glad there are no serious injuries and hope the lady will be okay, but any one of them could have been killed. If it is that easy for him to mistake the gas pedal for the brake, he probably should not be driving in the first place. Your end statement just flabbergasts me…People have problems so should not be held accountable for their actions? When cited with that it is due to negligence in one way or another. Yeah everyone has problems, and when an unsafe driver is on the road, it can create a whole lot more. I feel for the guy, but seriously, he most likely should not be behind the wheel. Relatives need to step up when their aging parents/spouses, etc. are uestionable in their ability to handle a motor vehicle. Yeah, you have to be the bad guy, but it’s in everyone’s best interest.
Was the person tested for Drugs? Let me guess if your old and looped out on vicodan you get a free pass.
I’m so sick of the WHEELS OFF THE ROADWAY…. That is BS Just a way to get money money…. In most of the wheels off the roadway.. the people have enough problems and do not need this crap.