Driver who crashed through roof of Rancho Palos Verdes home may have fallen asleep: investigators
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman in Rancho Palos Verdes who had a car crash through the roof of her home says her insurance is giving her trouble in getting it fixed.
The crash happened Sunday night. Aerial footage from AIR7 showed the front end of the car wedged inside the home and the rear bumper poking out of the roof.
This was all just the beginning of a major headache for Joann Killeen and her husband.
"We have no roof, we have no ceiling, we have no protection," said Killeen.
"I found a possum the other night chewing on my fabric."
Plus, selfie seekers are invading the couple's privacy.
"You really feel like, 'Ok, there's enough going on with what happened to the house, but we don't need any more anxiety with the lookie loos or people going by to do selfies or TikTok videos," she said.
Law enforcement said the driver suffered minor abrasions to the arms and was taken to a hospital Sunday night.
Killeen told Eyewitness News she contacted a homeowners insurance agent Monday morning but was not able to file a claim without the driver's insurance information, adding that the driver's husband went to her home late Monday afternoon to provide the insurance information.
Killeen then called the office back on Tuesday morning and was directed to a separate office to begin filing her claim.
"I had to push and push and push and push ... I did finally get a claim agent and somebody showed up today," she said. "It shouldn't take that long to get help from your insurance company when you're in crisis."
The insurance company says it is working with the customer to resolve the claim and ensure they receive the available benefits under the policy.
Killeen has been making quilts most of her life, and said the damage from the crash was not just to the structure of her home but also to her studio.
"Based on what they said here ... the back of the house is compromised," she said.
According to preliminary information from law enforcement, the driver of a white Mercedes-Benz possibly fell asleep on the road behind Killeen's home just before 6 p.m. Sunday.
Killeen said for now, plywood has been installed to cover the damaged fence and a tarp was placed over the roof. She's hoping to possibly relocate as the repair work continues.
"The most important thing for us is that we want to move forward and get this fixed as quickly as we can and ideally, get back to the house," said Killeen.
No one was seriously hurt in the crash. Deputies are now also helping keep an eye on the house until it gets fixed.
