11 Month Old Baby Hit by Toy Bin After Car Engine Block Flew Through Home Wall
A Tuesday night in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, turned terrifying when a speeding car lost control, slammed through a utility pole and tree, and sent its engine block crashing through the wall of a family’s home, striking an 11-month-old baby girl named Savannah inside.
She survived. But barely.
The Night the Living Room Became a Crash Scene
According to Pennsylvania State Police, the driver was flying down East 28th Division Highway near Hershey Road just before 7:30 p.m. when the vehicle struck a utility pole, hit a tree, flipped over.
And then the engine block tore free from the car, caught fire, and punched straight through the exterior wall of the home next to it.
The engine hit a toy bin. The toy bin hit Savannah.
Her grandmother, Barb Ruhl, told CBS 21: “It missed her head by probably an inch.” The baby spent the night in the hospital with a large bump on her head. She’s now recovering at home.
The Father Who Didn’t Freeze
What no other outlet is really talking about is that Savannah’s dad heard what sounded like three explosions, looked up, and found a burning engine block sitting in the middle of his living room.
He didn’t panic. He pulled the kids out, got the family dogs to safety, and put out the fire himself before emergency crews even arrived.
Warwick Emergency Services Fire Commissioner Duane Ober confirmed it: “The homeowner, in addition to rescuing his child, also put the fire out.”
That’s not a side detail. That’s the reason this story isn’t worse.
For the full initial crash report, read the original coverage here.
This Intersection Has Been Dangerous for Years
Here’s what the basic news reports gloss over. This was not a freak accident. It was a predictable one.
Church administrator Pam Cramer, who works at Brickerville United Lutheran Church right near that intersection, says she has personally called 911 multiple times after watching cars crash.
Church records show at least four crashes at that intersection since 2011.
Brickerville Fire Company says they have already responded to three speed-related crashes on that same stretch in 2026 alone.
Sadly, this kind of pattern isn’t new. Just months ago, a vehicle crashed into a Mississippi home and the driver fled the scene, another reminder that when roads go unchecked, it’s always families who pay the price.
The family living in the Lancaster home? Another car hit their house just seven months ago. They had just moved in. They even asked the township about installing a guardrail. That request was denied.
Elizabeth Township Chairman Mike Diehl told CBS 21 the road is state-owned and the township has limited control, but says they’re “looking into possible solutions.”
The grandmother’s words say everything: “Does someone have to die in order for something to be done?”
Have you ever lived near a dangerous intersection that kept getting ignored? Drop your experience in the comments. Your story might push someone in power to finally act.
Why This Matters Beyond One Family
This isn’t just a Lancaster County problem.
According to NHTSA’s 2023 speeding crash data, speeding was a factor in 29% of all U.S. traffic fatalities that year, with over 332,000 people injured in speed-related crashes alone.
Rural stretches with limited barriers, like East 28th Division Highway, consistently see the worst outcomes because there’s less infrastructure standing between a speeding car and someone’s front door.
These aren’t random accidents. They’re predictable failures.
We’ve covered similar incidents before, like the golf cart crash that sent someone to the hospital in Delaware and a car that destroyed a mobile home in Smith County, and the common thread is always the same: a road that people knew was dangerous, long before tragedy struck.
If you want to stay updated on stories like this as they break, this WhatsApp channel covers road safety and home crash incidents regularly, worth a follow if this kind of news matters to you.
Families living along these roads aren’t just unlucky. They’re underprotected.
What Needs to Happen Now
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the driver. The lane restriction on East 28th Division Highway has since been lifted.
But the bigger questions, guardrails, speed enforcement, and who actually owns the responsibility for this stretch of road, remain open. The family is pushing for answers. The church is frustrated. The fire company is tired of responding.
Meanwhile, Savannah is home, healing, kept safe by a toy bin and her father’s quick hands.
Final Thoughts
A toy bin shouldn’t be the last line of defense between a speeding car and an 11-month-old baby. At some point, “we’re looking into it” stops being an acceptable answer.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, based on reports from Pennsylvania State Police, Warwick Emergency Services, CBS 21, and NHTSA public data. The driver’s investigation is ongoing. Details may be updated as new information becomes available.
