(Spirit Lake)– A Spirit Lake man faces several charges in connection with a crash Monday evening that resulted in significant property damage to a tree, two vehicles, a house, a mailbox, and a street sign.
Spirit Lake Police say 46-year-old Drew Nielsen of Spirit Lake was driving a 2004 Mitzubishi Endeavor southbound on Zenith Avenue when he lost control. The vehicle traveled over the east curb and across 28th Street. It then traveled through a yard at 2803 Zenith Avenue and collided with a small tree.
From there, the vehicle continued southbound. It collided with a parked 2008 Toyota Corolla owned by Shannon Brandt of 2803 Zenith Avenue. The impact pushed the Corolla into a parked 1996 Toyota Camry, also owned by Brandt. That vehicle was then pushed into a house.
Police say the vehicle driven by Nielsen then continued southbound and overturned after also colliding with a mailbox.
Nielsen sustained minor injuries but wasn’t transported to a hospital.
He was cited with failure to maintain control, violation of a restricted driver’s license and operation without the owner’s consent.
The vehicle Nielsen was driving is owned by Brad Wurster of Spencer. It received an estimated $9,000 in damage.
The Toyota Corolla owned by Brandt sustained an estimated 15-thousand dollars in damage; the Toyota Camry, also owned by Brandt, sustained an estimated three thousand dollars in damage. Police say both vehicles were parked in a driveway.
Damage to a tree in Brandt’s yard was estimated at $400; a mailbox owned by Rick Porter at 2709 Zenith Avenue sustained an estimated $20 in damage; and damage to a corner of the house at 2803 Zenith Avenue owned by Brandt was estimated at $400. About $200 in damage was estimated to a street sign owned by the city.
The crash took place shortly after 10:00 p.m.
Police Chief Jeff Hanson says the incident remains under investigation and that additional charges are possible.
