Medford, Ore. — A car careens into a tree, bounces into yards and comes dangerously close to crashing into homes filled with people celebrating New Years Eve. Witnesses said it happened around 11pm Wednesday night in the 2500 block of Roberts Road in Medford.
“I thought it was a bomb. I seriously thought it was a bomb,” recounted Sherry Self. Her backyard is where the car came to a stop, flipped over on its top.
“It was scary,” added Self.
Self said shortly after the crash the car caught fire and her husband grabbed a fire extinguisher and put it out. Thursday morning, she found parts of the car scattered throughout her backyard.
However, before slamming through Self’s fence, the car hit a tree and uprooted it in her neighbor Delphine Yates’ front yard.
“Grateful it didn’t hit the house,” said Yates.
Yates was hosting a New Year’s Eve get together when Berwyn Dodson and other party guests heard a loud boom.
“The explosion was an incredible noise and you expected something to come right through the window,” said Dodson.
Then when everyone came out to see what the noise was all about, Dodson said the passenger and driver wiggled out through the space where the windows had been and took off.
Medford Police confirmed the owner of the car did come back, but he was the passenger.
As of Thursday night, police were still on the lookout for the driver, who they say was probably drunk.
“It was remarkable that somebody wasn’t hurt,” reflected Dodson.
The good news was that there were no injuries, but it came along with some bad news.
“We have a hole in our house and the gutters are ripped,” Self pointed out.
There was also engine oil splattered on Self’s home. The damage was caused by flying rocks and debris when the car came crashing through the yards.
Self said the tree the car hit first probably saved their home from more damage.
However, even while Sherry Self, her husband Larry, and her neighbor Delphine Yates have a lot of clean-up to do on New Years day, they’re just glad no one was hurt.
“Everyone’s alive and we’re thankful for that,” said Self.
If anyone has information on the whereabouts of the car’s driver, contact Medford Police.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.