Hopwood woman killed in South Union Township crash
A Hopwood woman died early Thursday when she lost control of her car and it hit two houses in South Union Township.
State police said Tiffany S. Minerd, 31, was traveling “at a high rate of speed” westbound on East Main Street when she lost control of her Chevrolet Cobalt on a right curve in the road. Police said her car crossed into the eastbound lane of travel where she hit a fence and a tree, causing the vehicle to roll multiple times. The car then struck a pillar on the front porch of a home and hit into the south side of a house.
Minerd was pronounced dead at the scene of the 1:25 a.m. crash, police said.
State police said she was not wearing a seatbelt.
Residents of the homes were rattled Thursday afternoon as they worked to clean up their properties.
“What a depressing scene this was last night,” said Ron Olson, carrying a pile of debris in his mother-in-law’s yard.
Pam Mercadante, who lives in the house, said she awoke to a loud boom.
“I screamed to my husband that someone came through the house again,” she said.
She said this was the third time her home has been damaged by vehicles slamming into her house since moving in 2002. The most recent time was around Thanksgiving last year, and the first time was about two years ago. People frequently speed down the road, she said. Neither of the previous crashes caused as much damage, and neither left a person dead, she said.
She became somber talking about the lost life.
“I was shaking. [My neighbor] was crying. So we were shaking together,” she said, referring to Lara Dowling, who lives at the second damaged home.
“It just rattled the whole house, set off the alarm,” Dowling said.
Both women said they were unsure how much the damage will cost to repair. At both homes, they said it appeared the foundation was damaged. Both homeowners have insurance.