Crash causes $30K in damage to Derry municipal building

Feb. 09--A car that crashed into the Derry Township Municipal Building early Friday caused an estimated $30,000 in damage and sent the driver to the hospital, according to officials.

Supervisor Dave Slifka said firefighters notified him and fellow supervisors of the crash, which occurred about 1:40 a.m. in the 600 block of Route 982, according to a Westmoreland County 911 supervisor.

Township supervisors arrived to find that a Kia sedan had strayed through the parking lot and grounds and crashed through the building's wall, into the township secretary's office, Slifka said.

"Who'd ever think a car would go through the grass and the parking lot and right into the building?," said Supervisor Vince DeCario.

DeCario said the male driver, the sole occupant of the car, was sitting up in an ambulance and was being taken to an area hospital, he was told by investigators.

Security cameras showed the car was headed south on Route 982 when it veered onto township property, Slifka said.

State police are investigating.

According to Slifka, the crash created a hole measuring about 3 feet by 3 feet under the office window and pushed in a 12-foot-wide section of the wall by about 2 inches.

"There are a lot of structural cracks in the masonry and the drywall has to be replaced inside," he said, adding that the secretary's credenza was damaged.

He said the cracks have been sealed, the hole has been boarded up and the secretary has been relocated to the supervisors' meeting rooming.

There was damage to grass and a curb outside, Slifka said.

"It could have been worse," he said. "If it had been during working hours, it would have hit Vince's truck where he parks."

Slifka, who grew up nearby, said that stretch of Route 982 has seen numerous accidents over the years, including some fatalities.

The township is waiting for its insurance carrier to inspect the damage, DeCario said. He said permanent repairs probably won't be attempted until the winter weather breaks.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6622, [email protected] or via Twitter @jhimler_news.

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