The silence of a Tigard, Oregon neighborhood shattered just before 3 a.m. on February 13th, ripped apart by a scene defying belief: a pickup truck soaring through the air. Witnesses described a vehicle moving with terrifying speed, a reckless trajectory about to meet a brutal end.
That end came with a violent impact against a dirt mound, launching the truck an estimated 100 feet upwards. It wasn’t a controlled ascent, but a desperate, uncontrolled flight over a three-foot brick wall – a barrier utterly insufficient to alter the vehicle’s course.
The truck crashed directly into a family home, tearing a gaping hole through the structure. Inside, David Brudnok was jolted awake by a deafening slam and the shuddering of his house, a sensation he described as utterly surreal.
His wife, knitting in a nearby room, screamed his name as the impact demolished their bathroom, leaving behind a scene of splintered wood and exposed beams. The force of the collision was so immense, it felt as though the very foundations of their home had been shaken.
Police arrived to find the driver, 33-year-old Jacob Hankins, initially unconscious, trapped within the wreckage alongside his passenger. Firefighters worked swiftly, carefully extricating both men from the mangled metal.
Remarkably, despite the catastrophic damage to the house and the violent nature of the crash, no one inside the home was seriously injured. Both Hankins and his passenger were transported to a hospital with only minor injuries.
Hankins now faces charges of reckless driving and recklessly endangering others, accusations stemming from the choices that led to this extraordinary and terrifying event. The investigation continues to piece together the full sequence of events.
The Brudnok family is now grappling with the aftermath, awaiting word from their insurance company regarding the extensive damage to their home. For now, they are temporarily displaced, finding shelter in a hotel while they navigate the long road to recovery.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of reckless behavior, and the fragility of the peace we often take for granted. It’s a story of near-misses, fortunate outcomes, and a family left to rebuild after a night of unimaginable chaos.
