Family dealing with adversity after teenager drives car into home

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A family’s world turned upside down after an SUV crashed into the garage of an east Bakersfield home Saturday night.

The morning after, the homeowner shares her nightmare has just begun. It was 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, when a Chevy Tahoe crashed through a fence and into the garage of Lofa Hubbard’s home.

“We just heard like this big old boom,” said Hubbard.

Hubbard ran to the front door because she thought it sounded like someone breaking into the home on Oswell Street near Alloway Lane.

“My daughter ran through the back, and she saw all the neighbors in the back yard telling us that the car went through our garage,” said Hubbard.

Police say a male driver fled the scene. Hubbard says the hit-and-run culprit was a teenager who was speeding.

“Moments later he returned with his parents,” said Hubbard.

Hubbard’s nightmare has just begun because now, they smell a gas leak.

“The fire department came out to make sure that the gas was not leaking, so they turned it off and said that the code enforcer or whatever was supposed to come out and check to make sure it’s safe,” said Hubbard.

Code Enforcement removed utilities like a washer and dryer and deemed the building a collapse risk. They also shut off the electricity. Hubbard said they haven’t turned it back on.

“We went without power all night, our refrigerator and everything is off so I’m trying to find out a way to save our food,” said Hubbard.

Hubbard is thankful to be alive after she stopped to do another load of laundry to help her daughter with her homework. It would have put her directly in the path of the vehicle.

Now, Hubbard is trying to pick up the pieces after an SUV crashed through her home and her life.

“My washer and dryer are messed up. All of my belongings I had in there are torn up, and they cannot be saved, you know there’s like memorable stuff that we saved throughout the years from our parents who just passed away,” said Hubbard. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to take them to small claims court. I don’t know what to do next, so I guess I’m going to do some research and find out what I need to.”

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