It Definitely Could Have Been Worse.

It must be a bit worrying living by a major intersection.  The thought must regularly come to mind that your building will be hit by an idiot driver.  This morning there was an example of this at Saskatoon's Acadia Drive and 14th Street intersection.  The apartment building there was hit by a minivan about 7 AM.  As you can see by the pictures the van ended up wedged into the building.  Amazingly the driver got out and ran away.  He was followed by a bystander, who tracked him all the way to the Centre Mall several blocks away, where the driver was apprehended by mall security.  Several charges have been laid, and Saskatoon Police say speed and alcohol were involved.

The accident could have been worse.  The basement apartment located where the van hit was empty.  The driver was alone in the vehicle.  And he managed not to hit any other vehicle passing through.  Potential targets could have included Saskatoon Transit buses 3 and 5, which pass through that intersection around that time, depending on how on schedule they are.(I was riding 3 several winters ago when it was t-boned there by a car unable to stop on ice in the intersection.)

This is not the first time this building has been hit.  An accident years ago led to damage to another basement suite.  Perhaps the owners are going to have to consider installing some sort of posts or other barriers so it doesn't happen again.