Driver dies after suffering medical condition, slamming into home

DECATUR, Ga. — Witnesses say a man who was driving on Ramblewood Circle in Decatur suffered a medical episode and lost control of his SUV.
 
His 13-year-old daughter was riding with him and tried to regain control.
 
"Her dad made a statement, something about holding his chest, 'I can't breathe,'" said Jackie Phillips.
 
Marlon Bethea told Channel 2's Carl Willis the SUV slammed into his kitchen where his children were sitting.
 
"My kids flew from one side of the wall to the other from where the truck busted through the kitchen," said Bethea. "One of the cabinets fell and hit my youngest daughter in the head." 
 
He later learned the 5-year-old received only minor injuries.
 
A DeKalb Fire captain said the SUV broke a gas line when it crashed into the house. 
 
Jackie Phillips said she rushed in to help clear the house.
 
"It was very scary due to the fact that it was a gas leak," she said. "That was my main concern, to get everyone out of the house and get them away from the residence, and try to pull him out to the street and just pray that EMS gets here."
 
EMS arrived, but police said the driver did not survive.
 
"My heart just broke," said neighbor Cynthia Lavergne. "We all know him, love him. He's a good guy."
 
"It's tragic," said neighbor Darryl Crenshaw. "He does work on everybody's house out here. He's just a very nice guy."
 
Neighbors say their thoughts are now with the victim's teenage daughter.
 
"His daughter is so young," said Latisha Lee. "She's 13. Nobody wants their child to go through that."

WSBTV