HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Nearly two dozen Henrico apartment units were evacuated after a car slammed into an apartment, hitting a gas meter Tuesday morning.
Henrico Police said they received a call for service just after 8 a.m. at the Courthouse Green West Apartments -- and upon arrival, quickly realized there was a gas leak.
"We were pulling in right here and as she was pulling in her parking lot and I was going this way, her car never stopped," witness Tabatha Smith said. "It just ran right through the window and I immediately called 911."
Smith said the car didn't appear to be speeding until it tried to pull into the parking spot.
"That’s when the car, immediately, it just took off," Smith said.
After calling 911, Smith said she checked on the driver.
"I stood by her until I knew she was okay until the police got there and helped her out of the car," Smith said.
She said the driver was shaken, but seemingly unhurt.
A woman inside the apartment was also uninjured, police said.
The crash did not just damage the apartment, it also took out a gas meter.
"Police went knocking on everyone's door because they had to get out due to the gas," Smith said.
Henrico Fire Lt. Shawn Williams said 22 units were evacuated.
"Getting ready for work, usual morning, then my fiancé comes and tells me all these cops are outside," neighbor Oderick Turner said. "So I walk out here and see something you don't see every day."
Smith said she’s thankful it didn’t end worse.
"It’s a relief -- and I’m glad everyone's okay and hopefully we can just get back in our homes and back to our normal lives again," Smith said.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
The gas was turned back on for residents around 11:30 a.m.
Police said the building examiner would determine if the unit is still livable.
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