Sisters share harrowing experience as SUV crashes into their Haywood County home

By Web staff

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    HAYWOOD COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — In a WLOS exclusive, two Haywood County sisters are sharing their story after an SUV came crashing into their home while they were both inside Tuesday.

“I heard glass hit and then a loud boom,” said Paula Crowe, who lives in the home where it happened on Old River Road in the Bethel community.

Crowe and her sister Patricia Blaylock heard the sound of glass shattering everywhere, with the SUV’s initial impact shaking the home.

“It sounded like nothing I’ve ever heard before,” Blaylock explained.

Their hearts were racing as Patricia was just a few feet away. The only thing that separated her and the wreckage was a few feet and a wall.

Meantime, Paula was further away, near the kitchen.

“I was worried for Patricia. I thought something had happened to Patricia, in the kitchen or somewhere. It scared me to death,” she said.

Just like Paula, Patricia’s first thought was, “Is my sister OK?”

“I said something has happened and I just run to her,” Patricia explained.

In those intense moments of the aftermath, the sisters called out for each other in the chaos.

“We both came running into the kitchen, glass all over the floor and I said, ‘Paula!’ She said, ‘Are you alright?’ We just hugged each other,” Patricia added.

But, for the sisters, it was relief followed by fear. Paula came running out of her home and saw the wreckage. The back of the SUV was still sticking out of the side of the home.

“I heard someone say, ‘I wonder if the person in the car is OK.’ And I said, ‘Is someone still in the car?’”

The driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Troopers said the driver rolled through a stop sign and was hit by a 17-year-old driving a Chevy pickup truck.

The impact was what pushed the SUV into the home.

Troopers said the teenage driver faced several citations, including driving without a license.

The sisters are incredibly grateful they weren’t hurt and that no one else suffered any major injuries, especially considering the amount of damage there was to the home.

“I’m still shaking, but I feel thankful that God was looking after us,” Patricia said.

Paula echoed that sentiment.

“I’m here today talking, and I’m very thankful,” she said.

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