CLERMONT, Fla. – A man is accused of intentionally ramming his truck through Open Door Baptist Church in Clermont Thursday because he wanted to harm himself, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Joshua Carey, 27, ran his black truck into the front door frame, through the hallway, out the rear door frame and through a canopy before penetrating the exterior of the building.
Surveillance video from the church showed the Nissan truck driving over a stop sign and accelerating before the crash, according to the affidavit.
Deputies said someone driving nearby called 911 to alert authorities about the speeding truck just moments before Carey crashed.
"He was possibly going 100 mph and he thought he was going to be hit," said Sgt. Fred Jones with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Carey initially refused to answer questions about the crash, but then while at a hospital he told authorities that he intentionally drove through the church in an attempt to harm himself, deputies said.
Church members at the Open Door Baptist Church spent a good part of the day Friday assessing the damage and cleaning up the area where the truck plowed through. No one with the congregation wanted to talk on camera, especially the pastor -- who voiced concerns that someone could try to copy what happened here.
But Sgt. Jones hopes it encourages those who are hurting to get help, and not try to hurt themselves or anyone else.
"We don't know if something happened at home, made him agitated or upset or depressed and he took it out there," said Jones. "But we're glad he was the only one there."
Jones said Carey was treated for his injuries at a local hospital and was then taken to the Lake County Jail.
He has since been released on bond and his next court date is set for next month.
Deputies said once Carey was released from jail, he was sent in for a mental evaluation in accordance with the Baker Act.
News 6 visited the home where Carey lived and was told by the people living there that he had had been having a rough time lately, but they would not elaborate further.