Hydrant, Damaged by Driver, Floods Skyline Home

A driver swerving out of control started a chain reaction that ended in the flooding of a Skyline resident's home Thursday evening.

The accident started when driver Theresa Nevills lost control of her red Chevy Tahoe as she headed east on Skyline Drive at about 6:15 p.m.

At the corner of Leghorn Avenue, Nevills ran over a fire hydrant and slammed into a light pole.

The resulting flood of water poured down a steep embankment into Joselito Mariano's home 100 feet below.

Six inches of mud filled his side and back yards. His storage shed and everything in it was sitting in water, as was his garage and living room.

"I will accept it because there is nothing I can do; the damage has already been done," said Mariano. "I just go talk to my insurance. Whoever is responsible for this problem here, maybe they gonna pay for all this damage they made." 

The family stacked pieces of furniture on top of others to limit the water damage until it can be cleaned up.

San Diego police say the accident appeared to be a mechanical malfunction. There were no drugs or alcohol involved, and Nevills was not cited.

Who pays for the flood damage will have to be hashed out between insurance companies.

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