SalemNews.com, Salem, MA

News

Car strikes front of Beverly home

By Mike Stucka
Staff writer
Published: April 18, 2008

BEVERLY — A favorite author may have kept Judy Powers from getting run over in her yard by a SUV that crashed into the front of her home last night.

"Because I'm old, I came in to take a break from raking and sat down with a book," she said. Minutes later, "I heard the brakes squealing for what seemed like forever."

She heard what sounded like two cars crashing into each other. She walked to her front door to find a Nissan Pathfinder had blasted through high hedges to knock her brick front steps over a few inches.

The accident occurred at 5 p.m. on Route 62 (Elliott Street) in Ryal Side. Two vehicles traveling along Route 62 wound up facing down Northern Avenue — a car in the center of the street and the SUV in the house.

Beverly firefighters used the Jaws of Life to help ease a passenger from a crumpled blue Kia. Both the car's passenger and driver were taken to a hospital and were in stable condition when they left the scene, fire Capt. Michael McCadden said.

"The Jaws were necessary to get the passenger out because of the configuration of the car and the crumple. At no time did we feel it was life-threatening, but it was just easier to get him out that way," he said.

Airbags helped ease the crash for occupants of both vehicles, McCadden said. He didn't know whether seat belts were used. Police identified the Kia's driver as William Capozzi of Manchester, but a report including the name of his passenger had not been completed.

Powers said her hedges, which appeared to be about 8 feet tall, normally block stray balls from the Beverly Golf & Tennis Club. The thick brush may have slowed the SUV, preventing more serious damage to her house.

On the sidewalk, Greg Farr of Beverly was pressing an instant ice pack to his forehead as he watched a tow truck operator try to figure out how to extract his maroon Nissan. Farr said he had been driving to a pharmacy on Elliott Street, when the accident happened.

"Someone passed me on the left, cut in front of me," Farr said, trying to piece the accident together.

An initial police report said both vehicles were facing west on Elliott Street, with Capozzi's Kia trying to make a left turn. Farr's vehicle hit the Kia at a high rate of speed, police said. Farr was cited for following too close.

Powers, the homeowner, said she hadn't been able to reach her insurance agent and didn't know how extensive the damage was. She did, however, recommend the book — "Summer Light" — as well as others by Luanne Rice.

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