Distracted teen crashes into Town 'N Country home

TOWN 'N COUNTRY (FOX 13) - The walls are barely standing at a home on Winston Lane in Town 'N Country after a 17-year-old girl slammed her SUV through the front door on around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

"This street is usually quiet, and I saw cars and a fire truck," said David Rivera, who has lived on the block for three years. He drove past the wreckage on his way home.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the driver, Michelle Ramirez-Vasquez, 17, was texting when she sped through the stop sign and drove into a home on the 7800 block of Winston Lane.

She was driving alone with just a learner's permit.

No one was inside the home at the time. Authorities said Vasquez was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

"30, 40, 50 miles an hour, and even faster, you can travel a long way in that two or three seconds that you're distracted. The next thing you know, you're involved in a traffic crash," said Larry McKinnon, spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Code Enforcement officials put an "Order to Vacate" in the windows of the home. Officials said removing the vehicle too fast could cause the walls of the home to collapse. The home will have to be stabilized before the SUV can be removed.

According to neighbors, the renter of the home is currently staying with friends. Authorities said the owner will be responsible for removing the vehicle. It's unclear if the homeowner was insured.