GREENFIELD — An impaired driver of a Jeep went on a wild ride and ended up sitting in the front end of an empty house along U.S. 40 Thursday night. The accident happened around 9 p.m. and brought out the county’s Tech Rescue squad to handle the crash in the 24oo block of West U.S. 40 near the Philadelphia area.
While no one was seriously injured, officials say the occupant of the jeep had to remain in the vehicle until crews secured the area due to unidentified wire lines down on the hood of the jeep.
Caleb Pyle, public information officer for Sugar Creek Township Fire Department, said once the power company turned off the electricity, the driver was helped out the jeep and transported to Hancock Regional Hospital for a checkout and was listed in stable condition.
Pyle noted the home appeared to be unoccupied and was possibly undergoing renovations at the time of the crash.
Concurrently with patient care, the technical rescue teams from SCTFD and the Greenfield Fire Territory worked to place two shores inside the structure because of the damage. No one else was injured and no firefighters were hurt during the incident, which closed U.S. 40 for some time until at least a couple lanes could be opened.
Capt. Robert Harris of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department told the Daily Reporter, the driver was arrested and charged with operating while intoxicated and officials are thankful no one was injured.
