WILLOWICK, Ohio (WJW) – A Willowick couple survived a surprise early morning crash that nearly caused their house to explode.

“I thought there was an earthquake. I mean, the whole house shook,” said Dan Mihalek.

He and his wife Tonya were sound asleep upstairs when around 2:30 a.m. a pickup truck plowed into their house on Fairway Boulevard and became lodged in the living room, right beneath their bedroom.

“The whole picture window was smashed in. There’s a big hole in the foundation,” said Dan.

It appears the driver may have been traveling on Oakdale Road, which dead ends into Fairway, and missed the stop sign and turn. 

The force of the pickup pushed all of the floor joists and the entire foundation forward.

Willowick police, fire and rescue quickly responded and discovered the truck had also damaged the gas line and shattered the gas meter.

“I can’t believe it didn’t blow up,” said Dan, “I mean, he smashed into the gas meter.”

A Dominion Energy crew needed an excavator to reach the gas line and then turned it off. 

The house is uninhabitable and will need extensive repairs.

Damages are estimated between $75,000 and $100,000, but Dan said he’s just grateful that he, his wife and dog Harley are all OK.

“I mean, it could’ve blown up,” said Dan.

The driver who fled the scene on foot was later identified by officers, who told FOX 8 that charges are pending.