Driver to be charged after car hits 2nd floor of home in Hockessin, Delaware

HOCKESSIN, Del. (WPVI) -- A driver is facing multiple charges after a crash last week in Hockessin, Delaware that left a gaping hole in the 2nd floor of a home.

New Castle County Police say John Cherrington, 27, has charges pending for reckless driving, (2 counts) malicious mischief by a motor vehicle and failure to have minimum insurance.

The crash happened at 6 p.m. Sunday, November 9th in the 1600 block of Old Wilmington Road at Linda Brizendine's home.

"He went airborne and end-over-end, because he went backwards into the second floor bedroom," said Brizendine.

Two of Brizendine's own cars were totaled. One, a 1988 pickup, was split in two.

Brizendine, her husband and daughter heard Cherrington's Mitsubishi sedan slam into their home.

"With all this, the house didn't shake," Brizendine said. "We just heard noise. My daughter looked and said, 'The wall is pushed out.'"

New Castle County Police say Cherrington lost control of the Mitsubishi as he navigated a bend in front of their barn.

He hit three parked cars, and the impact sent the car airborne.

Unbelievably, Cherrington suffered only minor injuries. He was taken to Christiana Hospital in stable condition.

"What we are told is they pushed the glass out of the car," said Brizendine. "He crawled out on his own and climbed down the ladder on his own, and they transported him to the hospital."

Brizendine says inspectors have given the family the green light to stay in the home.

Crews will patch the hole and secure the one room impacted by the crash until the whole insurance situation can be sorted out.

Brizendine told Action News she feels blessed no one was seriously injured.

"This is not the way I was planning on doing the remodeling," she said dryly.

There has been no word what charges, if any, Cherrington will face. Police said the investigation is ongoing.