A San Jose homeowner says his home has been crashed into by speeding drivers at least 23 times since 1972, with four cars smashing straight through the California home.
Ray Minter’s home is located across from the 680 South freeway exit on Jackson Avenue in San Jose, California. Ever since the exit ramp was built in 1972, Minter says drivers have routinely driven off the ramp into his home.
“Four cars have gone all the way through my house since there was the freeway,” Minter told KTVU. “Everyone else tore up my fence, and I lost three cars in the yard.”
In one incident, a young family member was injured.
“My youngest niece, she was young,” he said. ‘She was right here on the curb and a woman flew over and hit her. She was in the hospital for a couple of weeks and broke her arm.’
Ray Minter, who has lived at the house since 1960, says the accidents didn’t start until the nearby slip road was built 12 years later. Pictured: Minter’s house before the renovation
The longtime homeowner said he lost three cars in the accidents as his car was parked right in front of the house. Pictured: Minter’s house with his car parked in front
The most recent accident at Minter’s home involved a 2016 GMC Grand Sierra, which drove into both Minter’s car and his home. Pictured: Minter’s home after the crash
Minter was forced to renovate his home following the 2016 accident in which a drunk driver sped into the building at 105mph and wrecked his car. Pictured: Minter’s newly renovated home
Minter, whose home is across from a freeway exit, says at least four cars drove completely through his San Jose home (pictured).
Of the 23 accidents that have occurred since 1972, when his youngest niece broke her arm, only one injury has occurred
The city of San Jose has applied for a $40 million grant for a security project on Jackson Avenue, the street where Minter lives, which would result in a project start in 2023
An insurance agency has spent $30,000 over the years to place steel bars outside Minter’s yard, but he said they failed to stop a drunk driver who drove into his home at 105mph in 2016.
“A couple (drivers) got hurt pretty badly but most of them were drunk like that guy in 2016,” he said.
“He drove a 2016 GMC High Sierra. My car was right where the rocks are (behind the bars) and he hit that at 105 mph.
Because of this accident, the insurance agency had to replace the steel pylons.
Most recently in 2020, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on the street a block from the exit, according to Mercury News.
Minter’s house is across from a stop light off the Highway 680 South exit, which directs motorists to speed across the intersection onto Jackson Avenue and into the house
“I’ve had four of the cars drive all the way through my house since the freeway came along,” Minter said (pictured). “Everyone else tore up my fence and I lost three cars in the yard”
An insurance agency representing Minter spent over $30,000 to place steel poles (pictured) in his yard, which were last replaced after an accident in 2016
According to the KTVU report, the city of San Jose does not have authority to change the exit across from Minter’s house.
San Jose has since requested a $40 million grant to implement a security project along Jackson Avenue from Berryessa Avenue to Story Road, a 3-mile stretch from Minter’s home.
Should San Jose win the bid, the road improvement project would not begin until 2023.
The city has since encouraged motorists to slow down and obey traffic laws.
“The city needs to do something to protect not just us but the entire neighborhood,” Minter said.