HAINES CITY, Fla. — A car crashed into a home in Haines City before bursting into flames and catching the house on fire, according to the city's fire department.
The driver responsible is now facing charges, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
It happened just before 2 a.m. Saturday at a home near the intersection of Kalogridas and Miss Helen roads.
Deputies say 19-year-old Raciel Martinez, the driver of a red Chevy Camaro, was speeding eastbound on Johnson Avenue East and passed a marked patrol vehicle going the opposite direction, revving the engine and accelerating more as he did.
The deputy said in the affidavit they turned their car around to follow the Camaro but kept their emergency lights off. From there, the officer said he saw the Camaro turn left onto Kalgridis Road at a rate of speed that made the tires skid and screech.
By the time the deputy turned onto Kalogridis Road, the driver had crashed into the front of the home.
Because of the impact, the car's engine ignited, causing the front wall and part of the roof to catch fire, the Haines City Fire Department said.
After the crash, the deputy said Martinez and his passenger got out of the car with their hands up.
When the car caught fire, the deputy said they made sure everyone in the house got out. The homeowner reportedly was awakened from bed after hearing a loud noise.
When fire crews arrived, they said the car and home were "fully engulfed" in flames. All occupants inside the home and the car were safely evacuated before crews arrived, the department said. No injuries were reported.
The blaze was quickly brought under control and was extinguished in about 30 minutes, the agency said. The quick work of firefighters kept the fire from spreading further through the home, fire officials said.
While the front of the home suffered "significant" damage, the rapid response kept the house from being a total loss, the fire department said.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office and Polk County Fire Rescue offered assistance.
The sheriff's office said Martinez's passenger said when the driver passed the patrol car, he said "screw the cops" as he accelerated further. He added the driver reportedly didn't care how he was driving and said he had a gun.
A gun was recovered next to the car, the affidavit said.
The sheriff's office says Martinez was arrested and charged with reckless driving and unlawful carrying of a concealed weapon.
