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Construction Crew to Rebuild Apartment House

JACKSON TOWNSHIP — Brick by brick, a construction company is setting aside the pieces of an apartment house on Main Street in Dewart. Crews say they are s...

JACKSON TOWNSHIP -- Brick by brick, a construction company is setting aside the pieces of an apartment house on Main Street in Dewart.

Crews say they are saving as many bricks as possible so the building can look almost like it did before a pick-up truck crashed into it.

State police say Timothy Emery fell asleep behind the wheel early Sunday morning while delivering newspapers crashed into the building.

Two people were inside at the time, Eugene Renninger and Ashley Truxall.

Truxall's mother says she got the phone call no mother wants to hear.

"She was hysterical saying her house was destroyed and that's all I could get out of her, and to get here right away," Vicki Corbin said.

A day later, Truxall is counting her blessings. She says just two weeks ago, she moved her bed to the other side of the apartment, which may have saved her life.

"I move my room around a lot so I just moved it at the right time, I guess," Truxall said.

Truxall was back at her apartment to see what she could salvage. She says everything she owns is covered in dust and dirt.

"Seeing if I could find any of my other things in the pile and just trying to clean up. Get everything back to somewhat normal," Truxall said.

The driver of the pick-up truck is at Geisinger Medical Center near Danville, listed in serious condition. Truxall says she is not mad at him.

"It was an accident. Accidents happen. It could've happened to anyone," Truxall said.

She says she doesn't plan to move back into the apartment because she doesn't think she can sleep here again. But she does say she's lucky to be alive.

"I really did get lucky. I don't know, I guess everything happens for a reason," Truxall said.

"Words can't describe what goes through your mind as a parent. Is your child safe?" Corbin asked.

State police have not yet said if they plan to charge the driver of the pick-up truck.

The construction crew says it hopes to have repairs to the apartment house finished within the next month.

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