Car teeters over 3m drop after crash: 'A guy's parked in the roof'

August 5, 2024
A car suspended over a 3m drop between a house and retaining wall in Albany, on Auckland's North Shore.

A car was left teetering over a three-metre drop after colliding with a house on Auckland's North Shore last night.

A man has been charged with driving with excess breath alcohol and dangerous driving over the crash.

Emergency services attended the scene on Fairview Ave in Albany after police were alerted to the incident at around 7.50pm.

"The car is reportedly suspended over an approximate three-metre drop between the house and a retaining wall," a police spokesperson earlier told 1News. "The driver does not appear to be injured."

Footage from the scene showed a crane later lifting the car free.

Ross Cranston was at home when "there was a massive bang and the house shook". (Source: 1News)

Ross Cranston said he was just having "a quiet Sunday evening at home" when the car came through his roof.

"There was a massive bang and the house shook, and a guy's parked in the roof," he said.

"Told him he can't park there but he won't move."

Cranston's two daughters were also home at the time.

The car was "wedged in" the roof above one daughter's bedroom, though the damage was only external.

"Definitely a shock, yeah," Cranston said. "My daughter, it was basically above her head.

"She yelled out that there was a car crash, and then we ran out here and found this dude sitting in here."

He continued: "Can't see anything inside so I think it's just external stuff like the roof and the soffits and things like that, probably need a bit of replacing.

"They've blasted the fence out and moved one of the big retaining wall blocks, which I think was about 500kg, so I think he might've hit that and washed a bit of speed off hopefully."

Driver to face court

In an update, police said a 44-year-old man had been charged over the incident.

He's been charged with driving with excess breath alcohol and dangerous driving and will appear in North Shore District Court later this week.

"The male was stuck in the vehicle for some time as FENZ had to secure the vehicle before we could get him out safely," Acting Inspector Warwick Stainton said in a statement.

"Luckily for him he was uninjured, however extensive damage was caused to the property.

"People who drive while impaired by alcohol are putting themselves at risk, as well as everyone else on the road.

"This incident has caused massive damage to someone's family home which could have been avoided if someone had called a taxi.

"So please, plan ahead if you're going to be drinking, and make sure you have arranged a safe way to get home afterward — whether that is organising a sober driver, getting picked up, or catching a taxi or ride share."

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