Clinton family now homeless after car crash leaves their house uninhabitable

CLINTON, Mass. — Tears filled a mother’s eyes nearly a month after her family’s lives were turned upside down.

“We need to find a home… we need to find a home and fast,” said Codie Whalen, whose home was left severely damaged by an alleged drunk driver last month.

She and her family are homeless after a man speeding in the SUV plowed into her Clinton house.

“Took out not only my home but my two neighbor’s home and a utility pole,” said Whalen.

Video obtained by Boston 25 shows the SUV just seconds before the crash. Police say it was driven by 22-year-old Sean Dobson of Clinton. He was charged with DUI and driving without a license.

He left Whalen’s blue house, which she and her family have rented for seven years, in shambles.

“But like the damage he did to my family and my home. It just goes to show that it can all be gone in one second — one decision, one split minute,” she said.

Luckily, no one was inside that Sunday morning but her prized pets were.

“My babies were in there. My pets, I have two dogs, two snakes, and a bearded dragon,” said Whalen.

They all got out safely and her family is okay. She, her fiancé, and two sons were put up in local motels and now this hotel in Berlin, all through the generosity of the town of Clinton, Catholic Charities, and the state.

But with kids, she says it’s tough. With their home’s foundation beyond repair, they can’t go back. And now finding a new place due to the housing shortage is nearly impossible.

“We’ve been looking everywhere but due to the housing crisis — Oh my God there’s like very little available,” she said.

Right now, she’s hoping something comes through, and soon.

The family says they may have found a new place to live in Gardner, but that is not certain.

In the meantime, they do have a GoFundMe page if you’d like to help out.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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