The people who live in this south Columbus neighborhood say that they are tired of waking up to vehicles crashed behind their homes. It’s only a matter of time before one of these crashes is fatal.
The latest incident happened on June 13 near Oberz Road and Parsons Avenue. Not only did a vehicle leave the street, but it smashed into the tree line just behind a bunch of homes.
Even worse, the car went up in flames, likely burning the surrounding trees. Can you imagine hearing something that close from the inside of your house?
Some of the residents shared their experiences, with many feeling that these simply won’t end until something is done. What’s being suggested is the addition of signs, guardrails, and improved lighting.
That sounds pretty reasonable to me.
Crash Concerns Predate Some Current Residents
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One resident, named Alex Nance, spoke with WSYX ABC 6 and told them that the pattern of cars rolling into their backyard is pretty shocking. She moved in only three years ago, in 2023, and says that the incidents were a problem even before purchasing the home.
Honestly, that information alone is pretty wild. Concerning the incident with the vehicle that caught on fire, Nance said: “When we had come out, the flames were higher than our homes.”
“We bought our place in 2023, and during the buying process, we were actually notified by the sellers that our shed had been hit and was demolished by a driver,” she explained. At least whoever was selling them the house was honest.
Three Years, Three Crashes
The crash that happened on Saturday was actually the third that’s happened since she first moved in. That’s one for every year she’s been living in the house.
One of the most serious incidents occurred in March 2025, when a vehicle tore through a neighboring property and struck a home.
“The car came up in here, took our neighbor’s shed down right here, continued to go into the house, the gray house right there, and the truck was actually up under the home,” Nance recalled.
The repeated incidents have left many residents worried that the next crash could be even worse. “We’re worried about cars crashing into our homes where our children sleep,” Nance said.
Residents Say Safety Requests Have Gone Unanswered
It looks like there is something that can be done to prevent further crashes, but it will be up to city officials to see it through. The request asks for some additional signage, better lighting, and even a guardrail so that in the event that a car does roll off the road, it would at least be slowed down before hitting a home.
According to Nance, multiple homeowners have submitted requests through the city’s 311 system, but they have yet to receive any meaningful response.
“We’ve not gotten a response,” she said. “A lot of us have filled out 311 requests for guardrails and proper signage. Still no response on that.”
While no homes were struck in the latest incident, residents say the close calls continue to pile up. Each crash serves as another reminder of how vulnerable the homes are to out-of-control vehicles leaving the roadway.
“There’s been a lot of close calls, and it’s not an if at this point, it’s when,” Nance said. “So we’re just trying to prevent a tragedy from happening.”