SAN ANTONIO – The owner of a construction company has offered to help repair the gaping hole and other damage left behind by a car that crashed into an East Side church.
Armando Villarreal, owner of Villarreal Tree and Landing Designs, said he decided to lend a helping hand after he saw the destruction Sunday left behind by the driver of a Mazda who backed into Mt Gilead Baptist Church in the 1300 block of East Crockett Street.
"God has been good to me, man, and I seen (sic) this happen and I said, 'Well, I got to give back to the community,'" Villarreal said.
Villarreal said he plans to use the repair project as an opportunity to teach people the construction trade.
"I go to Westover Hills Assemblies of God. I know that there are men of God there, willing to give us a hand. We have a high school ministry there that will definitely help us clean up," Villareal said.
Church pastor Robert Forte, who has been ministering to the community for some 40 years, called the offer a blessing.
"We are certainly appreciative of that, and as you can see, there's been quite a bit of damage. You can appreciate it a lot more once you get inside," Forte said.
The driver of the Mazda remains on the run. Forte said police told him the car was not stolen. Police have not released details about the incident.
KSAT 12 News traced the Mazda's license plates to a home on Scotty Drive on the far West side, which is about 20 minutes from the church. No one answered the door at the home when KSAT 12 News reporter Deven Clarke showed up in an effort to find out how a car registered to the address ended up at the church.
