Missouri woman charged with DUI following crash into Granite City home

Dec. 07--Charges have been filed against the driver who plowed her sport utility vehicle into a Granite City home last week while a family slept inside.

Tina L. Durham, 43 of Cape Giradeau was charged with driving under the influence by the Madison County State's Attorney's Office. She was also cited for driving too fast for conditions.

At just after midnight Wednesday, Durham crashed into a house in the 1400 block of Madison Avenue. The damage left the home unfit to be lived in by owners Ron Miller and Jennifer Underwood and their two children.

Granite City Police Department Lt. Mike Nordstrom said Durham was traveling at a high rate of speed when she lost control of her vehicle, hitting a guard rail and driving through a yard before hitting Miller and Underwood's home.

Bob Hoff, an owner of Performance Roofing in St. Louis, started a Go Fund Me page to help pay the $65,000 cost of materials needed to repair the family's home.

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"Ron Miller works for me and is an exemplary young man with an incredible work ethic," Hoff said "He will work his fingers to the bone for his family and they need our help right now.

"This family worked very hard over the last three years," Hoff said. "They spent their life savings of $50,000, along with lots of blood sweat and tears, to rebuild this home for their family of four to live in. The house was 99 percent finished, but their homeowners insurance would not issue a policy until it until it was 100 percent."

No one inside the house was injured. Durham had to be rescued from her vehicle by firefighters and then was rushed to an area hospital for surgery. Her injuries were not life-threatening.

Durham's vehicle drove through the front porch of the house and struck the building in a corner.

Hoff said if the money is raised to cover the materials that he will make sure the repairs are made.

"I promise we will do everything we can to help them rebuild their home," Hoff said.

Scott Wuerz: 618-239-2626, @scottwuerzBND

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