Woman, 68, killed husband and critically injured daughter and son-in-law after she accidentally plowed her car THROUGH her own house as she tried to park

  • Carol Fedigan was arrested after police became suspicious that she was driving under the influence at the time
  • Neighbors say she was just re-parking her new Jeep when it suddenly accelerated out of control
  • She smashed through the front wall of the house, killing husband David Walker, 70
  • SUV plowed through the back wall and hit daughter Megan Berry and son-in-law Sean who were on the back deck
  • Came to a rest dangling over the lake

By Michael Zennie

Published: 21:55 EST, 18 May 2014 | Updated: 09:23 EST, 19 May 2014

A 68-year-old woman has killed her husband and critically injured her daughter and son-in-law after accidentally plowing her SUV through her house and crashing it into a lake - all while her 3-year-old grandson sat on her lap.

Police arrested Carol Fedigan after the tragic accident Saturday night at Sammamish Lake, Washington, outside Seattle when they came to suspect she was driving under the influence.

Her horrified neighbors, however, say that Ms Fedigan was simply re-parking her brand-new Jeep when it suddenly accelerated out of control. Before her arrest, she said she thought a mechanical problem was to blame for the crash. 

Scroll down for video

Edge of disaster: The SUV hung over the lake by its rear wheels after smashing through a house and a back deck Saturday night. Neighbors say mechanical failure could be to blame

Edge of disaster: The SUV hung over the lake by its rear wheels after smashing through a house and a back deck Saturday night. Neighbors say mechanical failure could be to blame

The Jeep smashed a hole in the lake house as it powered through a front wall. Carol Fedigan, 69, was driving and her 3-year-old grandson was on her lap

The Jeep smashed a hole in the lake house as it powered through a front wall. Carol Fedigan, 69, was driving and her 3-year-old grandson was on her lap

Driver Carol Fedigan 68 (right) killed her husband David Walker, 70, (left)

Driver Carol Fedigan 68 (right) killed her husband David Walker, 70, (left)

Ms Fedigan's husband, David Walker, 70, was inside the house when she smashed through the living room. He was killed.

Her daughter Megan Berry and son-in-law Sean Berry were on the back porch. They were were run over by the speeding car and are currently in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center.

The SUV came to a stop with its back wheels caught on the porch and its front end dangling in the lake.

The toddler was not hurt - nor was Ms Fedigan.

'She had her grandson on her lap, was re-parking the car, put it into gear and it just took,' neighbor Kevin Connolly told KIRO-TV. 

Another neighbor told KING5-TV that she could not get the SUV into gear correctly and it suddenly accelerated 40 feet through the house.

 

More...

Police, however, suspect alcohol or drugs are a factor.

She is charged with one count of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault.

Injured: Fedigan's daughter Megan Berry (right) and her husband Sean Berry (left) are in critical condition. Their son, who was in the car, (far left) was not badly hurt

Injured: Fedigan's daughter Megan Berry (right) and her husband Sean Berry (left) are in critical condition. Their son, who was in the car, (far left) was not badly hurt

Fedigan's husband was inside the house, he was killed when the SUV smashed through the front wall. Her daughter and son in law were hit when it came out the back side and skidded across the deck

Fedigan's husband was inside the house, he was killed when the SUV smashed through the front wall. Her daughter and son in law were hit when it came out the back side and skidded across the deck

Carol Fedigan
David Walker

Married: Ms Fedigan, 68, faces vehicular homicide charges for killing her husband David, 70. Police believe she may have been under the influence at the time of the crash

Police drew blood from her and are awaiting the results of a toxicology test, which could take several weeks to come back.

Authorities will also examine the car to determine whether there was a mechanical malfunction that caused the acceleration.

'It's just sad you know. To kill your husband, tough. It’s tough,' neighbor Will Pickering told KIRO.


Comments (53)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

I hope this was mechanical failure, for her sake.

0
10
 Click to rate

She is very pretty for a 68. I hope there s verdict of reason soon

3
3
 Click to rate

Surely if she were impaired enough to cause this type of accident, the toddler wouldn't have been left in her care, even if the parents were only steps away. I highly doubt the car took off on its own. My guess is she mistook the gas pedal for the brake and continued stomping on it in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but was actually causing it to accelerate.

0
8
 Click to rate

How is it that the neighbors know what was going on -- they weren't the ones driving. And when this sort of thing happens, the driver always seems to say the vehicle "suddenly accelerated out of control." Sometimes that's true but it's also true that impaired drivers frequently hit the accelerator when they think they're braking. Whichever it is -- faulty vehicle or impaired driver -- this is really tragic!

0
7
 Click to rate

How come whenever these cars "accelerate out of control" out of the blue, the driver is always about 70 or older?

12
77
 Click to rate

Terrible :(

0
28
 Click to rate

Poor family I hope it us mechanical and not her being under the influence

5
38
 Click to rate

Women shouldn't be allowed to carry a license.

83
18
 Click to rate

You shouldn't be allowed to open your gob...

0
12
 Click to rate

You're ignorant

0
6
 Click to rate

I don't think they should have arrested her until they had all of the facts. It honestly sounds like just a terrible accident. She needs to be free so she can bury her husband.

20
49
 Click to rate

Ingredients for disaster: SUV + woman driver + parking attempt.

60
16
 Click to rate

ingredients for an idiot: anyone who would use plus signs in their sad, ridiculous sentence

1
9
 Click to rate

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now