Two children were hurt Tuesday night when a car spun out, clipped a light pole and plowed into the carport of a San Jose home, turning a quiet backyard into a crash scene. Officials said both kids suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated, and relatives told reporters they are shaken but relieved the outcome was not far worse. Surveillance video captured the car barreling into the structure, leaving the light pole and carport visibly battered. The driver was arrested as investigators combed through the debris.
Crash Caught On Camera
Home surveillance video from around 8:30 PM shows the vehicle losing control, spinning in the street, then hammering into the light pole before slamming into the carport, according to KTVU. The outlet reports the impact unfolded in just a few seconds. One of the victims, a teenage girl, told the station she did not even know what hit her in the chaos of the crash. Her mother told KTVU she is grateful her children walked away with injuries that were not more serious.
Police Response And Arrest
San Jose police were called to the 900 block of North 17th Street, where they found the car jammed into the home's carport, according to NBC Bay Area. Officers told the station they believe the driver, an adult man, was under the influence. He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, then booked into Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of DUI, according to NBC Bay Area. The two juveniles were treated for injuries that authorities described as non-life-threatening.
Possible Charges
The driver has been booked on suspicion of DUI, and prosecutors will decide what to file. Potential counts could include DUI causing injury, which under California law can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances. California Vehicle Code section 23153 outlines the offense and explains that a valid chemical test taken within three hours of driving creates a rebuttable presumption of a person's blood-alcohol level, according to the California Legislative Information site. Any additional charges will hinge on the police investigation and the evidence they collect.
"Thank God he hit that post," the children's mother told reporters, saying the light pole may have slowed the car just enough to spare her family from much worse, KTVU reported. The driver remains in custody while investigators work to piece together exactly what led up to the crash, NBC Bay Area added. Authorities have not released the driver's name or any information about potential formal charges.
