GREELEY, Colo. — A Greeley family lost their home after a car crashed into it last spring. Now, because of homeowner association rules, the family had to pay more than $120,000 to replace it.
"It felt like an explosion to both of us. We didn't know what it was," Ed Wehrenberg said, describing what he and his wife heard the afternoon of May 18.
A man in a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed had just crashed into their home.
"We live in a double-wide. It moved the house 3 1/2 feet, and the house was condemned by the City of Greeley," he added.
The home needed to be replaced because of HOA rules. His homeowner's insurance maxed out at $50,000.
"At this point, we're out over $120,000 of actual dollars. And of that, we had to borrow near $100,000 to get the new house, get the old house removed, and that was after what our insurance company paid us," he said.
The driver was cited for no proof of insurance and reckless driving, but after waiting outside the courtroom to testify, Wehrenberg learned the driver was found not guilty of careless driving because the man was taking medications for seizures. The family was not entitled to restitution.
"We were so shocked we didn't know what to say," he said.
"There should've been something in all of this. It's frustrating, very frustrating," Susie added.