Truck crashes into East Hill home

Kent's Renee Keller routinely begins her day with coffee, cuddling with her dog in her front living room and catching up with the latest news on television.

Renee Keller – with her dog Pixie – surveys the damage after a man drove his truck into the front window of her East Hill home early Thursday morning. Damage is around $4

Renee Keller – with her dog Pixie – surveys the damage after a man drove his truck into the front window of her East Hill home early Thursday morning. Damage is around $4

Kent’s Renee Keller routinely begins her day with coffee, cuddling with her dog in her front living room and catching up with the latest news on television.

But early Thursday morning was different. She decided to have coffee in bed.

It was a good thing.

A man inexplicably rounded a tight corner, swerved off the street in front of Keller’s East Hill home in the 27200 block of 120th Avenue Southeast and drove his light pickup truck into her front window, shattering all in its wake.

“I usually get up to watch the news,” Keller said. “I became the news.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Keller instantly became a fast-moving Twitter topic, an online conversation of concern that spread among family, friends and neighbors.

Keller is just fine. On vacation from her job at Goodwill, she was looking forward to a quiet, productive day. Then someone unexpectedly dropped in.

The truck struck the window and went airborne, Keller said. The driver stopped, stared at Keller’s shaken daughter-in-law, who had been in the other side of the home, then quickly backed up and drove off, Keller said.

Witnesses told Kent Police that the man – described to be in his early-to-mid 30s, with a medium build, bald or with stubbled hair – was driving a small, light gold or silver Ford Sport Trac.

Keller said her house sustained about $4,100 worth of damage, although nothing structural was done to her home. Insurance will help, she said. Repairs were in the works Friday.

“I’ve been wanting to remodel the house,” Keller said, “just not on these terms.”

Lost in the episode was Keller’s 42-inch TV, its screen cracked. She was looking forward to watching the Seahawks take on Denver in an NFL preseason opener Thursday evening.

But those plans changed, too.

“I guess the man must have been a Broncos fan,” Keller said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Kent Police Department at 253-856-5800.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

t
Protest against Trump, Musk draws hundreds in Covington

Rally on April 5 part of global protest in response to numerous actions by president

Cars drive northbound through the intersection of Southeast 192nd Street and 140th Avenue Southeast in Fairwood. An 18-year-old was driving over 100 mph southbound through this intersection on March 19, 2024 when his car hit a minivan, resulting in the deaths of one woman and three minors. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.
Kent man who killed four in Renton crash pleads guilty to all charges

Chase Jones faces up to 23 and a half years in prison. His sentencing is set for April 25.

File Photo
Kent City Council approves Stay Out of Drug Areas zone

Nine organizations signed letter opposing new ordinance as ‘not an effective option’

t
Slower is safer: Steps to increase traffic safety in South King County

11-mile corridor has a high number of collisions, many of them fatal.

t
Family starts GoFundMe page for Kent man killed in crash

Jose Ortiz, 55, died in March 28 collision; wife suffered serious injuries; police arrest driver of 2nd vehicle

Courtesy Photo, City of Kent Parks
Kent city leaders want bigger piece of county Parks Levy

Measure could go to voters in August; King County Council to consider levy this month

King County Correctional Facility in Seattle. COURTESY PHOTO, King County
Man, 22, gets 20-year prison sentence for 2022 Kent killing

Drive-by shooting outside bar on Central Avenue took the life of 29-year-old Kent man

File Photo
Kent Police arrest man, 22, for arson, assaults against girlfriend

Allegedly set apartment on fire and repeatedly beat 19-year-old woman

t
Kent man, 56, dies in two-vehicle crash March 28 in Kent

Police arrest woman for investigation of vehicular homicide; collision at 94th Ave. S./S. 240th St.

File Photo, Kent Reporter
6-year-old boy drowns in pond on Kent’s East Hill

Child reportedly had autism and was drawn to the water on March 25, according to police

Valley Medical Center in Renton. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.
Layoffs at Valley Medical Center stem from loss of funding

101 nonunion employees were fired March 25 from Renton hospital that also serves Kent.

t
FBI honors teen girls who helped stop abduction in Kent

They rescued 6-year-old girl from man in July 2024 in parking lot of apartment complex