Car smashes into house, drives off | The State

A Hollywood-Rose Hill resident may have extra firepower in his bid to lower the speed limit on his street.

Joel Mason, 46, was startled early this morning by a deafening crash, the sound of a hit-and-run driver smashing into his home's Florida room.

"His engine never shut down," Mason said. "I heard him pull out and he was gone."

By the time the IT manager got out the front door of his house at South Bull and Crestwood streets to see what was going on, he saw only a gaping hole in the wall of the room. Florida rooms are window-filled add-ons, common in the Hollywood-Rose Hill area.

Mason said he called police immediately, and patrolling officers began to search the surrounding area for cars with significant damage, but have not yet found a likely candidate.

Anyone with a tip can leave it anonymously using the Crime Stoppers contact methods below.

"I always viewed (a car crashing into the house) as possible," Mason said. "People drive so crazy on this street."

He said he is working on getting the 30 mph speed limit on Crestwood Drive changed to 25 mph, the speed limit for most other streets in the area.

Mason said he has been renovating the home since he moved in six years ago. The next phase now has become rebuilding the Florida room.

-- Kelly Davis