A Francesville man was arrested on Saturday, March 3rd, after he drove a car into a house
Police were called to the accident site and the caller said the driver was trying to walk away from the vehicle. Police found the vehicle to have heavy front-end damage and rear damage. The windshield had a spider web crack which indicated the driver was not restrained and hit the windshield. The house also sustained damage.
The homeowner told police that he was sleeping and heard the vehicle hit the house. He looked outside and reportedly saw the driver, Cody Hopkins, attempting to flee in the vehicle but couldn’t because of the damage. The homeowner asked Hopkins if he was okay and he said he was. When the homeowner told Hopkins that the ambulance was on its way, he began walking away. After two hours of searching for Hopkins, an anonymous male told police that he was walking back to the accident scene. Police found him at the scene lying in the front yard. He was bleeding heavily from a large cut to his left eyebrow and there was blood all over his clothing. He told police that he didn’t remember the crash and he “woke up” a few yards away from the scene and walked back.
Police spoke to the vehicle’s owner, Amanda Nester, who said Hopkins was at her house and he had gone outside to smoke and when she went to look for him, he was gone along with her car. She said the keys were in the car but she did not give him permission to drive it.
Hopkins, 25, refused treatment at the scene and was taken to the Pulaski County Jail on preliminary charges of Auto Theft and Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident. He was also given citations for a seatbelt violation and speeding.
