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BOUNTIFUL — A semitrailer flattened a car, knocked down power lines and came to rest inside a residential garage in Bountiful Thursday.
The accident happened around 7:45 a.m. near 400 North and 1000 East. Homeowner Bill Bymaster, who has lived at the house for 20 years, said he was working on his computer when the crash occurred.
"Then it flashed, and then a big explosion when the transformers blew," Bymaster said.
A semitrailer, weighing 89,000 pounds, had crashed into his house, but not before and taking out power lines and flattening a car in Bymaster's driveway.
"(The driver) wasn’t able to get the truck into gear, felt that he had lost his differential and started to roll backwards. He attempted to apply the brakes, the brakes failed and rolled backwards into the home,” Bountiful Police Sgt. Andrew Bryson said.
The truck, which was carrying sand to a golf course, rolled about half a block, over a parked car and into the house. The car had just been sold on Wednesday.
Bymaster said the crash was so loud that he thought it was a bomb.
"My wife thought something fell out of air,” he said. “I came out and there was a bunch of smoke and this truck sitting on top of the car."
Fortunately, no one was injured and no other cars were damaged. Bymaster said the garage is an attachment, so there isn't much damage to the structure of the house either.
The accident did cause power outages in the neighborhood. Crews closed 400 North between Davis Boulevard and 1025 East for several hours while they fixed the power lines. Motorists are advised to take Davis Boulevard to 500 South as an alternate route.
Crews estimated it would take several hours to fix the problem.
The 400 North road is very steep, and drivers have lost control going down the road in the winter in the past.
Contributing: Whitney Evans
