ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — A teenager's "joyride" down a neighborhood street in Elizabeth City Wednesday morning led to "mayhem and destruction," according to neighbors who witnessed the incident.
Anita Cissel comforted Lewanda Evans as they surveyed the damage along Colonial Avenue in their neighborhood the day after the incident.
A car sped through the neighborhood Wednesday around 2:30 a.m., totaling three cars and damaging two others, they said.
Cissel and Evans heard it all.
"At first we thought it was thunder, so we came out to investigate and we realized a car was speeding down the street," Anita Cissel said.
After the crash some neighbors took action, Cissel said.
"One neighbor, he did basically a citizen's arrest. He saw it on the ring camera, and he heard the kids saying they got to get out of there," said Cissel.
Three teens were involved in the incident, according to police.
Police report the driver was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. He was cited for no operators license, careless and reckless, revoked license plate, open container, and exceeding safe speed and failure to maintain lane control. The kids were then released to their parents.
"They ought to be home," Evans said.
The incident is serious for Evans. She relies on a pension and told News 3 she was devastated when police let her know her car was destroyed.
"She relies on her own transportation to get around, appointments, groceries, get things, go see people and she's basically stuck in the house," said Cissel. "She's relying on family and friends . . . If there's an emergency she's basically stuck."
Ken Cissel, Anita's husband, set up a GoFundMe to help Evans find transportation.
And the incident is serious for the rest of the neighborhood, too. They want to keep their streets safe for everyone.
"Try, if you can, to have a healthy relationship with your kids and know that they'll try to be safe whenever they do go out," said Jonathan Cissel, Ken and Anita's son.
Elizabeth City Police urge anyone with information about the case to contact the department at 252-335-4321. You can remain anonymous.
