Around 1:30 a.m., a driver lost control of his vehicle, ramming the Watercrest Care Center Nursing Home in North Miami Beach. The bizarre car accident cost the driver his life. The crash scene and the facility are located near Northeast 167th Street and West Dixie Highway.
Nearby residents heard screeching tires, followed by a noisy explosion, but few, if any, actually saw the tragic impact. There was little to see until around 30 minutes later when police and emergency vehicles appeared on the scene.
Apparently, the 29-year-old victim’s car was moving at close to 80 mph, before hitting the curb and becoming airborne. The vehicle didn’t stop until it crash landed between the first and second floor of the nursing home. The driver died from the incredible force of the impact.
The victim’s relatives were terribly upset, none more so than the driver’s wife, who eventually collapsed. Her cousin made a brief statement as the victim’s wife was too upset to speak.
Fortunately, no elderly residents were seriously injured. Miami-Dade rescue personnel did take four patients to a local hospital, but all had minor injuries only. The residents were treated and released in good condition.
Not surprisingly, it required hours to remove the vehicle from the walls of the nursing home. Administrators and emergency personnel evacuated the whole wing of the facility to protect patients and allow investigators to work efficiently. It took rescue personnel, North Miami Police and a tow company to create a plan to remove the imbedded vehicle from the building. They were unable to extricate the vehicle until around 6:15 in the morning.
Since two main beams were destroyed, along with other building damage, there was some structural damage to the facility. Repair crews are working as quickly as possible to allow the displaced residents to return to their rooms. The 20 patients will not return to their rooms until all structural repairs are complete.
Source: WSVN, “Driver dead after crashing into nursing home,” Aug. 9, 2012
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