The car made its unexpected entry after crashing down a bank. Picture / Kenny Rodger
When Richard Hiini heard a loud noise outside his window he thought a tornado had ripped a tree out of his Glenfield property and slammed it into the side of the house.
It was only after the cloud of dust and debris settled that he saw the front of a
Toyota in his kitchen.
"We have now got a big, gaping hole in the side of the house."
Mr Hiini said the driver, who escaped injury, apologised and said he had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed down a 2m bank on the side of Sunset Rd.
Sergeant Paul Gray said it appeared the driver came around a corner, drove straight through a wooden fence with a steel post, crashed down a bank - and only stopped when he hit the side of the house.
The car destroyed the kitchen, went through the floorboards and smashed a pantry full of food.
"It's fortunate that nobody was hurt, including the driver," said Mr Gray.
Mr Hiini's partner, Gaylene Currin, and their 6-week-old daughter Zoe were upstairs when the car hit.
"I didn't know what to think. I thought Richard had done something," said Ms Currin.
"I thought of the baby and screamed, then the baby screamed."
Ms Currin said she started to go downstairs but smelled gas and went back upstairs to get Zoe and take her outside.
The family planned to spend last night in other accommodation and are waiting to hear who will pay for the damage to their rented home.
Mr Gray said the driver was expected to face charges, possibly careless driving.
