Harker Heights homeowner demands action after two vehicles crash into his property in the past 18 months

HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas (KWTX) - Dwight Anders has lived on his corner lot on Chaucer Lane for several years now, but in May 2021, a car crashed into his fence.

“This whole wall was destroyed and had to be replaced,” he said.

After that, he was worried about another crash happening, so he replaced his wood fence with a metal one.

Then two weeks ago, on Oct. 19, another driver crashed into his fence.

“Between me and the insurance company, it’s been about $30,000 in the past 18 months,” Anders said. “Out of my pocket, it’s been $2,000.”

KWTX News 10 confirmed with the Harker Heights Police Department that they have identified Verna Lee Boulevard as one they frequent for speeding. Anders’ home is at the intersection of Verna Lee Boulevard and Chaucer Lane.

“I’m getting tired of it – the speeding. It happens everyday, all day long,” Anders said.

Joe Riepen lives across the street at another corner lot on Chaucer Lane and Verna Lee Boulevard. He shared similar sentiments as his neighbor, Anders.

“At night, it’s just a racetrack,” Riepen said. “People are just speeding and that’s when we have a lot of the problems.”

Riepen hasn’t experienced any crashes at his home, but he’s worried about the potential for one. So, that’s why he decided to replace his fence.

“I wanted to go with a metal fence in the backyard, because it’s a little sturdier than the wood fence and it’s going to last longer,” Riepen said. “I have kids and animals that play in the backyard and I don’t want anything coming through it.”

Anders loves his home, but he’s now worried about the declining value of it.

“You tell someone your home has been hit twice by speeders and drunk drivers, they won’t want to buy it,” he said. “So I’m probably stuck here for life.”

KWTX filed an open records request with the Harker Heights Police Department and learned, that in the past 18 months, there have been 12 vehicle collisions and 351 speeding tickets issued by police on Verna Lee Boulevard.

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