Capelles neighbours battled to stop crash car rolling over
PEOPLE living in Les Petites Capelles were left holding a car as it teetered on its side, with one person trapped inside, as they awaited the emergency services.
Houses in the St Sampson’s road were rocked by the serious crash on Sunday night, which saw a woman taken to hospital.
The incident happened at about 10.30pm, close to Guernsey Candles.
It is believed the Vauxhall Astra was travelling from the direction of the Pony Inn when it first hit a wall belonging to Rob Gill, then going on to crash into Stuart Rowe and Lauren Henley’s wall further down the road and then roll on its side.
Mr Rowe had placed the recycling on the kerb outside his house two minutes before and had only just got upstairs when the family heard a loud bang and felt the house shake. They rushed outside to find the car teetering on its side.
‘The car was trying to roll over completely,’ he said.
‘There were four us holding it. We were trying to make sure it did not move, as it kept wanting to go either way, so we were keeping it steady.’
Mr Rowe said there were three people in the car. When the neighbours came out to help, a woman was trapped in the vehicle, while a man kept trying to get into the car to help her.
Mr Rowe said that made it harder to keep the car stable and they were worried about what could happen to the woman if it moved.
He said they were very relieved to see the emergency services arrive.
Police, firefighters and ambulance staff all attended. Firefighters had to cut the woman free from the wreckage.
St John Emergency Ambulance Service confirmed she was given initial treatment on scene before being transferred by ambulance to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
A man has been arrested.
It was only after the dust had settled that Mr Rowe realised their Renault Twingo, which had been parked behind the wall that was hit, was seriously damaged. Large chunks of granite had been sent flying in the impact.
The side of the car and roof were battered and the rear side window and back windows were both smashed, with a chunk of granite inside the car.
The couple have contacted their insurers and fortunately they have a second car.
They said the wall was last damaged in a crash in August 2018, just after they moved in.
‘This road is a bit of a race track,’ Mr Rowe said.
Mr Gill has lived in the road for more than 20 years. His wall was the first to be impacted and has been left with a large crack.
He said he heard a loud bang and when he rushed outside he saw lots of people had come out to help. He said there had been crashes in the area before.
‘There are problems at night,’ he said.
‘We can hear them [driving quickly]. It should be 25mph.’
The road was cleared shortly after midnight.
Police are investigating the incident and said they suspected that there were two men inside the vehicle when it crashed, as well as the woman.
They would like to speak to anyone who may have information or a description of the driver or passenger of that vehicle and/or anyone who witnessed the collision.
Anyone able to help should contact PC 123 Cusack quoting crime reference number OC2000008239 on 725111 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
