LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Newburg couple Beverly and Lamuel Adams last lived in their home, off Jeanine Drive, 29 days ago. They said on Aug. 2, a two-car crash rendered their home of more than 40-years unlivable.
Lamuel said neither him nor his wife were at home the time of the accident, but came home to the aftermath.
“I just, I thought maybe somebody was driving too fast. I thought something must've happened,” he said.
Through speaking with neighbors who witnessed the crash, the couple said the collision was the result of one driver blowing through a stop sign at the intersection of Jeanine Drive and Glen Valley Road, hitting an oncoming driver who crashed into the front of their home.
“I've had a hard time. I miss my grandkids and great grandkids,” Beverly said. “That room that the car went into was the kids’ toy room.”
The couple said their neighborhood has been impacted by reckless driving for years.
“This used to be a really nice neighborhood, where kids could play in the streets, play ball, run up and down and have an enjoyable time,” Beverly said. "But, not any more.”
Barbara Shanklin, the councilwoman for the affected area, said Jeanine Drive had two crashes just on Tuesday alone.
“That's because of speeding. [Drivers] aren’t paying attention. They're going 60 miles an hour [on] a 25 mile an hour road,” Shanklin said. “Two more wrecks, but they were not racing. They were just speeding.”
Shanklin said reckless driving has been a growing issue in her district. She said people speed down the streets, do donuts and occasionally race each other.
“It’s been really bad for years out here in the Newburg area,” she said.
The Adams' said it’s a rising trend, they’ve had previous incidents happen.
“They’ve run into my vehicles parked out here before,” Lamuel said. “They’ve knocked into my fence.”
He said that not too long ago a car also crashed into his neighbors’ porch, damaging it beyond repair.
According to the Louisville Metro Police Department, 115 people died in crashes in Jefferson County in 2021. So far in 2022, they’ve reported 70 fatalities following crashes.
It’s why the department is doubling down on the consequences facing reckless drivers.
“Illegal street racing and other dangerous driving have been reported on our roadways," Sgt. Ronald Fey, LMPD Traffic Unit, said in a public service announcement posted to Twitter this week. "This contributes to crashes, injuries and fatalities."
Fey says LMPD is putting additional patrols on the city's roads using marked and unmarked traffic enforcement vehicles. In addition, LMPD will have helicopters flying both night and day actively looking for aggressive and reckless drivers.
While it may be too late for some, people like the Adams' welcome it. They said they don't wish what they're going through upon anyone.
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