Troopers search for driver who crashed into house

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The Florida Highway Patrol continues to look for the suspect who went on a wild ride, damaging vehicles and crashing into a home.

"At 3:30 this morning I was rudely awakened," Herb Bates said.

He was sound asleep when he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night.

"First thing I heard was a big explosion," he said.  

Troopers say a pickup truck crashed into his Overdale Drive home.

"The car was right across from my bedroom, so I had a car in my house," Bates said.

He said the driver damaged many precious items being stored in his house.

"Of course it took out mom's antiques that I had stored for her and an antique china cabinet."

Troopers say the suspect had a hit-and-run nearby moments before driving on the street.

He then hit a black car, ran into a fence, hit the back of a pick-up and crashed into the house.

"He took out a power pole about a quarter mile down the road and hit another car down there," Bates said.

Troopers say they detained a person, but released him.

They later discovered the person was the roommate of the registered owner of the pick-up.

Investigators say they plan to have the homeowner identify the suspect in a lineup.

Bates says, "He was staying down at the end of the street. Several people [have] seen him on the street once or twice."

While Bates says many expensive items were destroyed in the crash, he realizes how lucky he really is to be alive.

"The main thing, nobody got hurt," he said. "Everything can be replaced."