Car hits teen in backyard

 

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- One Mishawaka teen was sent to the hospital after a car crash ended up in his backyard. 

Just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Mishawaka Police received a call about an accident at the intersection of Division and Lawrence Streets.

Neighbors tell me that a car was traveling south bound on Division, while there was a red car who was supposed to stop at the stop sign on Lawrence. 

However, passenger in the red car Tattianna Davis, tells me that the driver of the car Eddie, merely stopped for what felt like a millisecond, before pulling out into the intersection. 

Davis says that because he pulled out, the other car reacted by swerving out of the way and went through the neighbors yards into the Chipps backyard. The car rammed into the Chipps fence and ended up knocking over a futon where 18-year-old Dominic was taking a nap in their backyard, hangout tent. 

Neighbor Kristi Lash tells me she was leaving to run some errands and saw all of this happen. And immediately after the car ran over the fence she heard screaming, because Billie Joe Chipps was yelling that her son was trapped under the car. 

Joshua Chipps, Dominic's older brother, told me that it took 5 people to get the car off of his brother and it was apparent he needed to go to the hospital. 

Joshua called the police and said they arrived promptly, assessing the accident, removing the cars and an ambulance took Dominic to the hospital.

Before heading to the hospital, Billie Joe told me that this was not a weather related accident. She says that even in the summertime when the roads are clear, there are still accidents at this intersection. Billie Joe feels that the trees obstruct drivers view and wishes there was something that could be done.

Dominic was diagnosed with a concussion and suffered some scrapes.

He says he is thankful that his injuries can heal and that nothing worse happened to him or the drivers involved.