Van Carrying Children Crashes Into Home in Clayton County

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. -- A Clayton County woman said she dodged a bullet after a van came crashing through her home Tuesday moing.

Sandy Howell said she was resting on her living room couch at her home on Heritage Drive. She said by chance, she happened to go upstairs right before a van plowed across several lawns, through her exterior wall and into her fireplace.

”It sounded like a toado, and I thought it was raining outside, so I looked out the window, and I said, ‘There’s no rain,’ Howell said.

She said she went downstairs and found a van in the living room. Howell called her husband, Michael, who was on his way home, but he didn’t believe her story.

”I started laughing. I said, ‘Yeah, right, sure.’ When I came and looked at the damage, I couldn’t believe the extent of the damage, Michael Howell said.

Clayton County police said van driver Tanya Kennedy is facing charges of driving on a suspended license and two seatbelt violations. They said she had two children in the van -- and neither was buckled in.

”She had two babies in the car with her, and the kids were crying. She said she lost control of the car, Howell said.

Kennedy, 38, said her brakes didn’t work, police said. They said they were investigating the claim, along with whether she had insurance. While she is in police custody, her children are being taken care of by their father.

Channel 2 was at the scene as crews checked gas lines for damage and a towing company pulled the van out of the home. Despite the destruction, Michael Howell said he is grateful his wife decided to get up when she did and the rest of his family got lucky.

”Thank God my kids weren’t here because usually my daughter would be in the same room that the vehicle came through, he said.