Driver arrested after hitting house

Residents were left shaken but uninjured Monday after a woman drove her car into the porch area of a house at 1521 Walker Drive in Carson City.

Janice E. Mears, 59, who lives across the street from the Pauliks' residence, apparently reversed her blue Saturn automobile straight out of her garage at 1522 Walker Drive, across the street and over the curb, through a wooden fence, and into a stucco wall that surrounds the porch. The impact did relatively little damage except for a severed pillar.

Mears, who was visibly shaken by the incident, was taken into custody after police performed field sobriety tests at the scene of the accident. She was arrested on charges of unsafe backing and driving under the influence.

Neighbor Ken Collins who lives two doors down from the Pauliks heard the crash while sitting on his couch inside.

"To me it sounded like wood falling down," he said. Collins had just finished stacking his winter supply. "I was about ready to get mad until I realized it came from somewhere else."

He said that it was likely that Mears was leaving to drive down the street to her mailbox, a ritual that she performs daily.

A Carson City building inspector was called to the scene to verify that the structural damage did not create a hazard for the home owners and was later determined to be cosmetic or minor in nature.

Mears is being held on $1,000 bail and is scheduled to appear today in Carson City Justice Court.