Stewart Smith
Waiting to study just may have saved Sam Isenhower’s life.
Isenhower, 21, a student at Sam Houston State University, said it was just before midnight Thursday when he was in his living room contemplating whether or not to delay studying for a test.
He ultimately decided to put off hitting the books until the next morning and headed off to bed where his roommate, Stephen Briseno, was already asleep.
“I had been in my room for maybe two minutes when I felt the room shake and heard this terrible crashing noise,” Isenhower said Friday.
Steven Price, 25, crashed a Ford Expedition into the side of the house — located at 1904 Sam Houston Ave. — demolishing an entire side bedroom, most of the dining room and a portion of the living room.
Isenhower said he or his roommates would often stay up at night reading or playing guitar in the side room the vehicle hit first.
According to the Huntsville Police Department, Price claimed he lost control of his vehicle after he swerved to avoid hitting an animal.
Price was traveling northbound on Sam Houston Avenue.
It was later determined Price was driving under the influence and was charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.
Price’s injuries, police said, were minimal.
Isenhower and Briseno, the only occupants at the time, were unharmed.
The incident forced police to shut down traffic at Sam Houston Avenue and 19th Street for more than two hours.
Briseno, 22, a student teacher in New Waverly, said it sounded like he was in the middle of a war movie.
“There was this deafening crash and the sound of breaking wood and shattering glass,” Briseno said. “We looked out the door and the first thing we saw was all this rubble.”
The impact of the crash could even be felt next door.
“It shook our whole house,” said neighbor Oscar Yurica. “I can only imagine what it felt like in there.”
Briseno and Isenhower share the house, owned by landlord George Russell, with three other friends — Jason Smith, Simeon Hughes and Michael “Dryden” Eaton — all SHSU students.
Isenhower said he’s just glad Price is OK.
“It is just amazing that the guy is alive,” he said. “He went through the perfect, narrow window of space to hit the side of the house and not the tree. He’s got a mom that prays for him or something.”
Despite forcing them to move to a completely new residence, Briseno said he and his friends are still trying to see the lighter side of it all.
“Sometimes we just can’t help but laugh because, well, there was a car in our house,” Briseno said.
The Department of Public Safety responded to the accident in addition to the Walker County EMS and Huntsville Fire Department.
Sam Houston Avenue was opened to traffic around 1:55 a.m. Friday.
