Lucky escape for Coatbridge family as car crashes into front of house

Shaun and Louise Keenan, and their two kids, were asleep upstairs in the family home onLuggieburn Walk when they were woken at 3am by a loud bang before seeing a vehicle drive away from the scene.

Jim Donnelly/Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
A car crashed into the front of the Keenan's family home in Coatbridge.

A Coatbridge family had a lucky escape when a car smashed into the front of their house in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Shaun and Louise Keenan and kids Elise, seven, and Liam, six, were asleep upstairs in their family home in Luggieburn Walk when they were woken at 3am by a loud bang.

As little Elise screamed, Shaun jumped from bed and dashed to the youngsters’ rooms to make sure they were safe before seeing a car driving away from the scene.

He said: “It sounded like an explosion. There is work going on electrifying the rail line near to us and, for a moment, I thought that might have something to do with it.

“As I checked the kids I looked out of the bedroom window and saw a red car pulling away at speed.

“Then I thought that it might be a burglary before I noticed the debris outside.”

Louise said: “My daughter Elise screamed as her room is right above where the car hit. Liam slept right through it but Elise wanted everything explained. None of the neighbours realised what had happened until the next day.

“It’s not the first bit of bad luck we have had. About a year ago the house was hit by lightning and now it’s been hit by a car. I was crying but at the end of the day no-one was hurt – it’s only bricks and mortar.

“Shaun has often commented on the speed that some cars take the bend and said it’s a wonder it hasn’t happened before now.”

The car narrowly missed a lamppost before ploughing through the garden and smashing into the Keenans’ bay window.

Debris was strewn across the garden and deep tyre marks scarred the turf.

The house suffered structural damage, with the bay window and front wall needing replaced.

Coatbridge police later found a car with extensive damage to its front end and carried out checks to trace the registered keeper.

They subsequently interviewed a 22-year-old man who was asked to undergo an alcohol breath test.

The suspect was arrested and charged with drink-driving, failing to stop and report an accident and driving with defective tyres.

He was released on an undertaking that he appear at Airdrie Sheriff Court on a future date.

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