Port Richey, Florida - The Florida Highway Patrol says 32-year-old Crystal Leija left the Lane Glo bowling alley on Ridge Road in Port Richey early Saturday morning and slammed into a parked car, several fences and mailboxes before driving straight through a house.
The home she's accused of driving through is located at 6915 Twilite Drive in Port Richey. A family of seven was inside sleeping when the crash happened around 2 a.m.
Photo Gallery: Woman drives through Port Richey house
Roula Papapanos, a family friend, spent the day with other friends trying to help salvage items from the destroyed house for the Rauchbauer family. She says, "He's a cook and his wife's a waitress and they're a good family and, unfortunately, they're left with nothing. Nothing. Thank God, they have their children."
Papapanos says it's a miracle that the adults and several young children survived.
John Rauchbauer says his brother-in-law, 26-year-old Jesse Data, was sleeping on an air mattress in the home. John was sleeping too and says, "I think Uncle Jess is the real hero. He got the worst of it. He got hit by the car. You know he took 100 stitches to the face and he walked over broken glass to get these kids out."
Rauchbauer adds, "I heard a loud crash. Boom! I thought it was a tornado. I thought it was the end of the world."
Witnesses described the suspect's demeanor after the accident.
Papapanos says, "She was out of it. She had no clue where she was even at. She didn't even know what she did."
Crystal Leija was arrested at the scene. Investigators found her inside her car in the family's backyard. She was not hurt in the crash. She was wearing a seat belt. Leija faces several charges including, DUI with serious bodily injury, DUI with property damage and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.
Meanwhile, Rauchbauer says his kids are really shaken up over the crash. No one inside the home was seriously hurt. Damage to the home is estimated at $80,000. For now, the family is staying at a hotel.
You Might Be Interested In