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UPDATE: Car Hits Villas House; Knocks It from Foundation

Accidents | Wed, 12/16/2009 - 12:50 pm | Read 4722 | Commented 11 | Emailed 21
Tags: lower township police department, villas

By Al Campbell

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VILLAS — Lower Township police, Villas and Erma firefighters were summoned to 102 E. Atlantic Ave. at 10:33 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16 after a car, with two occupants, struck the unoccupied dwelling and knocked it two to three feet from its foundation.

Police and Rescue Units immediately responded to the scene.

Once on scene, police officers and rescue personnel were able to remove the driver from the vehicle. Police officers then requested the Fire Department respond with the Jaws Unit to extricate a female passenger who was still trapped in the vehicle.

The Villas and Erma Fire Departments responded for the Jaws assignment.

Driver of the vehicle was identified as Bernard Ruckhardt, 55, of 35 E. Atlantic Avenue, Villas.

Witnesses reported that the vehicle, a green 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis was traveling westbound on East Atlantic Avenue at a high rate of speed when it crossed into the eastbound lane of travel, then left the roadway driving through a white picket fence at 100 East Atlantic Avenue, proceeded across the lawn of that property, then went through a chain
link fence before impacting the side of 102 East Atlantic Avenue.

The vehicle hit the house with enough force to knock the house approximately three (3) feet off of its foundation and cracked the foundation as well.

Officers notified the Township Construction Official, Gary Playford, who responded to the scene and determined that the damage to the residence was so substantial that the residence would be condemned and torn down, which happened later in the day.

Atlantic Electric Co. also responded and cut power to the home as a precaution.

The home is a summer residence and it’s owners were notified of the situation by Lower Township Police Chief, Edward Donohue, who was also at the scene.

The home was owned by Maryann Sachs, of Philadelphia. who told the Herald her parents had owned the house since teh Great Depression. It had been a second home to her family as they grew up, she said.

"There were so many memories there," she added. The home was recently refurbished, she said.

Construction and Fire Officials took precautions to shore up the home before removing the vehicle, as officials feared the house would collapse upon pulling the vehicle out.

The driver of the vehicle, Bernard Ruckhardt, signed a Refusal to Treat Form from the Lower Township Rescue Squad and was then arrested by Lower Township Patrol Officer, Robert Fessler, for Driving While Intoxicated.

The female passenger, Mrs. Michelle Ruckhardt, 52, wife of the driver, was removed from the vehicle with an extrication device by Fire and Rescue Personnel and then transported to the County Airport by Lower Township Rescue Squad after which she was airlifted to the Trauma Unit of the Atlantic Care Medical Center in Atlantic City where she was
listed in stable condition with facial and hip injuries.

Bernard Ruckhardt was processed at the police department and charged with the following offenses:

Driving While Intoxicated
Reckless Driving
Assault by Auto, being a 3rd Degree Crime

Ruckhardt was transported to the Cape May County Jail with bail set at $10,000 by Municipal Court Judge, George Neidig.

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Comments (11)

We welcome your thoughts, stories and information related to this article.

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Sat, 12/19/2009 - 12:31pm - Posted by: SeaBilly

How ridiculous. . . a guy in a cement truck ruining Wildwood. Oh wait . . . .

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Thu, 12/17/2009 - 3:36pm - Posted by: albie27

Folks you're looking at this the wrong way...someone get this man a loaded cement truck and a 30 pack and set him loose in Wildwood.

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Thu, 12/17/2009 - 1:40pm - Posted by: DyingInVain

Pretty soon we'll have no real estate or buildings left. Don't let people get multiple DUI's and DWI's. If you cause that much damage...suspend the license for 3 years at the very least or tell them to take a freakin' bus instead of almost killing everyone in their way.

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Thu, 12/17/2009 - 1:36pm - Posted by: DyingInVain

Somebody needs to do something about these drunks before they continue to destroy everything.

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Thu, 12/17/2009 - 10:27am - Posted by: kevinconreysr

Was he on his way to or from the bar? Notice drunks never seem to hurt themselves only others!

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Thu, 12/17/2009 - 8:41am - Posted by: ratboy2

If the owners would like a quote for a new home to be put up quick call BEST BUY MODULAR HOMES.COM at 609-886-0022 they can work with the insurance company and make sure your summer home will be in place by April or May!!! They have put up almost 40 quality homes in LT in the last year. Hope this info helps the mcgovern family.

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Wed, 12/16/2009 - 10:27pm - Posted by: Localguy

The Murphy Fences held up as good as the house!!

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Wed, 12/16/2009 - 8:45pm - Posted by: theleft

ALl i gotta say is...Driving While Int. @ 10:30 AM.--glad he just hit a house with no one in it..and i hope his wife is ok...cause she is going to be doing the driving if she still ahs her DL.

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Wed, 12/16/2009 - 8:41pm - Posted by: rhbsr

Lets all hurry up and comment about the construction of the house-
#1 If you read the article the house has been "in the family" since 1932- lots of storms and such since then-and wow it was still standing. Must be a testament to the construction standards from the year it was built.
#2 A speeding car with how much force behind it at the point of impact- amazing the house moved - of course it moved - Thank our lucky stars that no innocent pedestrians or motorists were in the way. Hopefully the owners can rebuild and enjoy their summers.

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Wed, 12/16/2009 - 7:29pm - Posted by: Pixie1960

The house is gone already? Was that house even attached in anyway to the foundation?

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Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:28pm - Posted by: Lane Boggs

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