Motorist’s Troubles Began When He Arrived at Home

William Henley almost made it home safely Saturday.

The 36-year-old Whittier motorist, who authorities said apparently had been drinking, pulled into his driveway about 6 a.m. and kept going. He missed the garage door, the front door and ended up in his living room.

Henley had just driven up to his home on Avoncroft Street, when he fell asleep, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Herek.

Henley was not injured in the crash.

“Henley did not even know he was in a crash,” Herek said. “He stayed passed out through the whole thing.”

Immediately after he plowed into the house, Henley unconsciously kept applying pressure on the accelerator, causing the engine to rev at high speed, Herek said. The engine overheated and caught fire. The living room also caught fire, as did parts of the kitchen and garage, Herek said.

The crash woke Henley’s wife, Laura, who thought it was an earthquake, Herek said.

“She said she started to roll over and go back to sleep,” the sergeant added.

But the unusual sound of water flowing through the living room caught her attention, Herek said. A water spigot had also fallen victim to the errant car and driver, and spewed into the house.

Laura Henley got up to find the family car on fire inside her living room, and her husband still asleep behind the wheel, Herek said. She woke her husband, their four young children, the children’s grandmother and the family dog, and together they watched as fire caused $76,000 damage to their home, Herek said.

No injuries were reported.

Henley was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. He denied that he was intoxicated and refused a breath test to determine if he exceeded the blood-alcohol limit of .08%, Herek said. Henley was held at the Pico Rivera sheriff’s station jail.

In the first 12 hours of the Christmas holiday weekend, at least 300 other drivers in Los Angeles County were arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated, authorities said.