Two people were injured Wednesday morning when an SUV crashed into the back of a New Jersey home while en route to drop a student off at a nearby elementary school, police said.
Damage to the home on Kory Drive in South Brunswick was visible from Chopper 4, which was over the scene. The vehicle was in the student drop-off lane at Brunswick Acres Elementary School, which is located right behind the house, when it suddenly went out of control and off the roadway, according to South Brunswick police.
The 2014 Toyota RAV-4 sped through the grass and went partially airborne before plowing into the home. As a result of the impact of the crash, the gas main for the house was ruptured, sending natural gas spewing into the house and the surrounding area, police said.
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Several homes in the area were initially evacuated as PSEG turned off gas to the area within 20 minutes of the crash, but the residents were eventually able to return to their homes, police said.
The 37-year-old woman behind the wheel and a 6-year-old boy in the vehicle suffered moderate injuries, according to police, and were taken to a nearby hospital. Both are expected to recover.
"It was the start of the school day and the crash left many people shaken. There was excellent work by all involved to make sure those injured received treatment, homes were evacuated, and the students were kept safe. We are thankful no one was seriously injured in the crash," said South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka.
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Based on the amount of damage sustained, South Brunswick officials determined that the house could not be occupied.
What caused the SUV driver to lose control was not immediately clear. The elementary school was temporarily placed on a shelter-in-place before returning to normal operations.
