Grandfather, grandson speak after big rig barrels into their home

By Kayla Moeller

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    RIVERBANK, California (KOVR) — A family is lucky to be alive after a 16-wheel semi-truck crashed into their home in Riverbank while they were sleeping.

A man in his bed woke up underneath rubble, calling for his grandson who was trapped in the next room. Miraculously, they’re both OK.

“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” said Tim Zollin.

And that’s because he kind of did. Zollin woke up to a loud bang and the next thing he knew, the house was crashing down on him.

“I was sleeping right here my head right there, next to that wall. And this was the bathroom,” Zollin said. “If I had been in the bathroom I definitely wouldn’t be here.”

“I thought it was just an earthquake or something because the loud noise, everything falling,” said Zollin’s grandson Jayden.

Jayden said he tried to get out of his room but the door was blocked.

“I look towards his room and I can see, like, a truck in the house. I didn’t know what to think, if the trucker was OK, if my grandpa was OK,” said Jayden.

Thankfully everyone inside is OK. Riverbank police say an SUV driver ran a stop sign, hitting a semi-truck causing it to lose control and crash into the duplex.

Two families are now displaced, and they say the only help they’ve received is a whopping $600 from the American Red Cross.

“Nobody helping as far as any type of government agency or insurance. I mean obviously, it’s not our fault. I haven’t heard a peep from anybody,” said Zollin.

“I can’t even go to school right now, I don’t have the clothes or anything to go,” said Jayden.

“I can’t walk too good and I went to the emergency room right away,” said Zollin.

Their 81-year-old duplex neighbor was also displaced.

“Your whole life changes, just like that. Thank God again that we’re alright but it just doesn’t feel like it, I guess to say,” said Zollin.

The truck driver was not injured and the SUV driver was taken to the hospital with a few broken bones but will survive.

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