A New Port Richey woman watches as a car grazes her mobile home, then plows into her car.
By ALEX LEARY
Published October 26, 2004
[Photo: New Port Richey Fire Department]
New Port Richey police say Shirley Young, 48, of New Port Richey may have had a seizure as she
was driving Monday morning on Indiana Street. Her 2004 Hyundai, right, hit a 2003 Hyundai,
left, at 6540 Washington St.
NEW PORT RICHEY - Eighty-one-year-old Edith Schmidt was talking on the phone Monday morning when the person on the other end of the line - across the street at her church - gasped. "What was that?"
Schmidt heard the explosion-like sound as well and hurried outside. "Oh, my God," Schmidt said, "my new car."
Her 2003 Hyundai Elantra was up on two wheels, pushed over by another car, which also was a Hyundai.
That's not all. The car sideswiped Schmidt's mobile home at 6540 Washington St., stripping off some powder blue siding and leaving a small hole in the home's side.
The motorist apparently had a seizure while driving down Indiana Street shortly after 9 a.m., New Port Richey police said. Shirley Young, 48, was flown to Bayfront Medical Center but was not seriously hurt, police said. She was released Monday afternoon.
"It could have been a lot worse," New Port Richey fire Capt. Alex Onishenko said.
Young's car crossed over Schmidt's lawn, at Indiana and Washington, and came within inches from her front door, before grazing the side of the home and plowing into the Hyundai.
Schmidt, who is selling her place to move closer to family in Wisconsin, said she was sorry about her car and her favorite cactus, also a casualty in the crash.
"But," she added, "all that can be replaced. I should be thankful I'm alive."
