Driver of car that crashed into Palm Bay house ID'd

Pictures show severe damage

PALM BAY, Fla. – A car crashed into a house at the corner of Barcelona Road and Eldron Boulevard in Palm Bay on Friday afternoon, police said.

A witness told Palm Bay police investigators she saw two cars speeding through a school zone around the same time that students were being dismissed.

She said one car was speeding around a corner when it lost control, hit a ditch, went airborne and flew across the street, ultimately hitting the ground twice before plowing into Gladys Weir's home.

"I was sitting at the kitchen table and I just heard a big boom," she told News 6. "I thought, 'Oh, this is the end of the world.'"

Weir said she looked out her window and saw nothing but the undercarriage of the car and spinning wheels.

"I was more concerned with the person who was in the car," she said. "I mean, the vehicle you can replace, you know?"

The driver, who Palm Bay police later identified as Joseph Christy, 75, was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in critical condition, the Palm Bay Police Department said. Christy died later Friday night, police said.

Weir told News 6 this isn't the first time this has happened. She said a couple of years ago, another car did the same thing, but she said this car caused much more damage.

"I'm not moving," she said. "No way. I'm not moving."


About the Authors:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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