Driver Severely Injured After Crashing Into House During Police Pursuit in St. Gallen

A 21-year-old motorist sustained severe injuries early on Saturday after fleeing a police control and crashing head-on into a residential building in Andwil, Switzerland. The force of the impact left the house at risk of collapse, according to the St. Gallen Cantonal Police.

The pursuit began shortly after 2:35 a.m. in the neighbouring town of Gossau, where police officers signaled for the vehicle to pull over for a routine control. Instead of stopping as instructed, the driver accelerated away from the patrol at a high rate of speed in the direction of Andwil.

As the car approached the village garage in Andwil, it struck the right-hand curb, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle subsequently crossed both lanes of traffic, broke through a roadside hedge, and collided directly with the front facade of the residential home.

Despite sustaining serious injuries in the high-speed collision, the driver managed to exit the damaged vehicle on his own. Emergency responders provided medical attention at the scene before transferring the man to a nearby hospital for treatment. Firefighters were dispatched to shore up the severely damaged building, which was necessary to allow the vehicle to be towed away safely.

Because the structure was deemed unlivable and at risk of collapse, the municipal administration of Andwil arranged emergency accommodation for the affected residents. Following the crash, authorities ordered blood and urine samples from the driver and confiscated his driving license.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com