Fleeing driver crashes car into Manchester Twp. home

York Dispatch, The (PA)

July 05--A Manchester Township home sustained serious damage when a driver allegedly fleeing from police lost control of the car he was driving, which crashed into the brick house with such force that it bounced off.

The home is owned by local attorney Jennifer Smith, who was there at the time. She said her mother, who lives with her, also was there.

"I was in that room getting out wrapping paper ... and just walked out of the room when I heard the noise," she told The York Dispatch. "It was so loud that I just knew someone had hit the house."

Smith said she and her mother escaped injury.

"We were both shaking -- we could hardly keep our wits about us," she said. "It was intense."

Smith's outside security system recorded the crash, including driver Kameron Smith crawling out of the wreckage and being arrested at gunpoint by state police Cpl. Brian Torkar.

Jennifer Smith is no relation to Kameron Smith, who she said spoke to her at the scene.

"He said, 'There aren't enough apologies in the world,' and I said, 'You're damned right,'" she recounted.

The chase: Charging documents filed by Torkar state that he tried to stop a northbound MINI Cooper after clocking it going 80 mph in a 55 mph zone on Interstate 83 near the Route 30 exits about 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 4.

Instead of stopping, the Cooper accelerated and got off the highway, fleeing northbound on North George Street, documents state.

"As I got off the exit, I observed the vehicle passing other cars on the right and left side of the road. At one point, the vehicle traveled through a red light without slowing," Torkar wrote in charging documents. "I was traveling approx. 90 mph and was only marginally catching up to the vehicle."

The Cooper passed a vehicle on the shoulder as it crested a hill in the 3000 block of North George Street, documents state.

"After cresting the hill, I observed a plume of debris on the left side of the road," Torkar wrote, then saw "an enormous hole in the side of the brick structure."

'Shoe got stuck': Kameron Smith climbed out of the car through its sunroof, at which point Torkar arrested him. He was wearing a seat belt when the crash happened, documents state.

Kameron Smith -- who Torkar said was driving an illegal vehicle with a suspended license -- said he wasn't trying to flee police, "rather, his shoe got stuck on the accelerator," documents state.

The driver showed signs of impairment, and his blood was taken at York Hospital to be tested for alcohol and drugs, documents state. Torkar noted that Kameron Smith had a DUI in 2015.

Kameron D. Smith, 28, of the 800 block of East King Street, remained in York County Prison Thursday, July 5, on $2,500 bail.

He is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude police, risking a catastrophe, DUI, reckless endangerment and a number of summary traffic violations, according to court records.

The traffic violations include driving with a suspended license, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving without insurance, running a red light, passing in a no-passing zone, driving at an unsafe speed and reckless driving.

It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney.

Repairs needed: Jennifer Smith said someone from a restoration company told her he thinks the entire front corner of her home needs to be torn down and rebuilt.

Her insurance adjuster will be looking at the house on Friday, she said.

Jennifer Smith, whose practice includes criminal defense work, said she believes the driver's bail is too low.

She said she and her mother are still staying in the home, just not in the room that was damaged, which is her mother's bedroom.

"Last night, I let my mom sleep in my bed and I slept on the couch," the attorney said. "I didn't get much sleep."

Jennnifer Smith has been doing renovations on her home for the past six months, she said, but had not done any improvements to the damaged room.

-- Reach Liz Evans Scolforo at [email protected] or on Twitter at @LizScolforoYD.

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