JEFFREYS BAY – A Jeffreys Bay couple narrowly escaped serious injury when a vehicle crashed through their Noorsekloof Street home at high speed on Sunday evening. Their beloved dog Jolo was however killed in the incident.

Dean and Iris Gilbert were in their bedroom when the vehicle smashed through their boundary wall before ploughing into their bathroom and kitchen.

Iris, a well-known local businesswoman, said she had just removed her rings to take a bath when the first impact occurred.

“The terrible crash made us think immediately that there had been an accident in front of our house, but seconds later there was a massive second impact and our first thought was that a gas bottle had exploded,” she said.

“A dust cloud engulfed us and then we realised what was happening – the vehicle was inside our bathroom and we fled outside in panic.”

Vehicle ploughs through bedroom wall

Security cameras mounted at the house captured the entire incident on video.

Upon inspection, the couple discovered the vehicle had first crashed through their boundary wall before hitting their bathroom and kitchen.

“Our two beloved dogs were still outside and we immediately started searching for them. One of our dogs Joleen was running in and out of the property from the street side, looking confused,” Gilbert said.

Dog found dead among rubble

The couple initially thought Jolo had been trapped under the vehicle, but he was found dead among a pile of bricks in the destroyed bathroom.

“No one can describe this terrible trauma in detail. Everything happened in seconds – the crash, another crash, the destruction in the house and then the horrible discovery that Jolo had died.”

Ambulance and police arrived quickly at the scene. Video footage from the Gilberts’ backyard shows a white vehicle careering out of control across the grass verge at the labyrinth before crashing into the house at high speed.

The accident occurred just before 18:00 on Sunday evening. The Gilberts’ dogs are usually brought inside at that time for the night. The video also shows the white French poodle Joleen, who survived the accident, running in and out of the property in confusion.

Driver not tested for alcohol

The driver of the vehicle appeared to be having an epileptic seizure but had no visible injuries. The identity of the driver has not been disclosed, but according to the Gilberts, he was not removed from the scene by ambulance or police vehicle.

Police spokesperson Captain Majola Nkohli explained why the driver was not arrested or tested for alcohol.

“According to South African legislation, SAPS or traffic officers have the discretion to conduct initial alcohol tests at accident scenes, provided there is reasonable suspicion of alcohol use. Since the accident at Noorsekloof, Jeffreys Bay, on Sunday evening 19 July was only registered as an accident report without an open criminal case, the officer refrained from testing,” Nkohli said.

Family plagued by recent tragedies

The couple has faced significant challenges recently. Dean was recently involved in a serious motorcycle accident, and Iris’s daughter Julie Ceronio’s fiancé died in a car accident, while Julie also sustained serious injuries. She has still not regained full control of her shoulder.

Thousands of rands in damage was caused to the house, which had recently been renovated with two new bathrooms and a new kitchen installed.

Gilbert said she feels she may not be able to stay in the house again. She received medical treatment at the scene and the couple will undergo trauma counselling. A security company is now providing guards to watch over their home.

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