An 88-year-old Dargaville retirement village resident got the "shock of her life" when a car hit her house after jumping a kerb and ploughing through two fences.
Nola Lane said she was enjoying a peaceful Wednesday evening watching TV in her River Rd home when there was an almighty bang that
shook her whole house.
"While I was sitting I could hear the car coming down the road ... it just seemed to get louder and closer, but I suppose I didn't really realise what was happening until there was this awful crash," said Mrs Lane.
"I got up and as I rushed outside all I could think was 'my house, my house'."
The car had hit her verandah just two metres from where she was sitting.
She found the 16-year-old driver unhurt, but in "state of shock".
"He was swearing to himself and and looked quite stunned. He even tried to start the car.
"I told him to cut his language out. I think it was just the shock.
"It was his mother's car - a big Holden - and I felt a bit sorry for the kid really.
"I was a bit shaken myself, so I called my daughter Karen who lives in Te Kopuru and she and my granddaughter Lorna came straight out."
Mrs Lane said the impact had been felt by the neighbours, who called the police.
"Scent bottles in my bathroom on the other side of the house had fallen from the shelves, the clock in the kitchen had stopped and knick-knacks and pot plants were either knocked over or moved across the floor," she said.
Mrs Lane said she had moved to the Riverside Retirement Village from Milford only 10 months ago so she could be closer to her daughter.
"I was expecting it to be a quiet life," she joked.
"At my age I can't take things like this any more."
Nevertheless, yesterday, she was taking things in her stride.
The house and fence were insured and will be repaired.
Dargaville police said the young man had claimed he lost control of the car after his foot had accidently hit the accelerator rather than the brake.
He has been referred to Youth Aid and is likely to be charged with careless driving and driving while forbidden.
