It’s been over a month since a semi-truck lost control and crashed into a Kelowna, B.C., townhouse, but on Monday morning, it was finally removed.
“That’s something that really is unfortunate,” said homeowner Samer Shehadeh. Like, why did it take a month…this should have been out within two days.”
On April 11, a semi-truck hauling an empty flatbed trailer lost control along Gordon Drive near Cameron Avenue and plowed into the structure.
Shehadeh’s one-year-old 1 year son and the boy’s grandmother were both home at the time but neither were hurt.
“Just imagining my mother in law with the baby you know 10 minutes before this accident coming down that stairwell, you know this could have ended way worse,” Shehadeh told Global News.
The semi was dislodged from the home by a five axle , 80 ton heavy rotator towing truck operated by Mario’s Towing.
Shehadeh and his wife looked on as the semi was being removed along with other neighbourhood onlookers.
“It’s a big deal for us,” Shehadeh said. “It’s the first step to, you know what’s going to happen next ..obviously the rebuild process.”
The homeowners were forced to find other living arrangements, and it’s been a nightmare for them ever since.
The home was looted twice. Two men, 36-year-old Daniel Kozub and 45-year-old Shawn McKay, are now facing charges.
RCMP allege the pair got their hands on one of the home’s key fobs after the initial break-in and re-entered the home that same day through the front door.
The homeowner, Samer Shehadeh, told Global News the security company watching over his house, Kalamalka Security, says the suspects posed as construction workers. Numerous items were stolen, including electronics, jewelry, credit cards, car keys and their car.
The stolen vehicle was equipped with a GPS tracking system and was located nearby.
It’s not known how long the suspects were inside the home, but Shehadeh said pictures from inside the house indicate the culprits spent some time inside drinking and ransacking the home.
Now that the semi has been removed from the home, it will be boarded up until the renovations are complete and the structure is deemed safe for the family to return.
RCMP continue probing the crash and said last week that the semi removal will assist in that investigation.
“We will have a mechanical inspection done on the truck and that’ll all go towards he final report and decision on how police will pursue the matter,” said Const. Mike Della-Paolera with the Kelowna RCMP.
The hard hit family is now contemplating the future and whether they even want to move back in once the home is repaired, which could take up to a year.
“Do we really want to live in here anymore with what happened?” said Shehadeh. “There’s a lot of that stigma with what happened in this corner now. So I don’t feel confident having kids living in this house again.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for anyone wishing to support the family with things that may not be covered or any other issues that may arise.
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