FREDERICA, De. - A high speed car chase through multiple towns in Delaware Sunday night ended with that vehicle through the front of a home in Frederica.
"I heard this big boom - and I went to the door and saw fire shooting out of this house," described Frank Cain, a neighbor who says he was just sitting down to watch television when he heard the explosion.
Video from the Frederica Fire Department show the car and the home engulfed in flames when they arrived on the scene.
"I got dressed and came running out to make sure there was nobody in the house, but they said everybody had gotten out," said Cain. He described the Martz family as nice people, with younger kids.
The crash and the fire were the result of a high speed chase that began in Harrington, where a 19-year-old Michael Robinson was driving 100 miles per hour along the Dupont Highway heading north. He did not stop when police tried to pull him over, and did not stop when Felton police put stop sticks out to blow out the tires.
Robinson's car, rounded the bend from Felton into Frederica, where he ultimately collided with the Martz home on Front Street. The car burst into flames, leading to explosions in the home.
The high-speed police chase has some residents concerned.
"When you come into a town, a town with a speed limit of 25 mph, and they're doing 105, they could've hit children on the sidewalk, they could've hit any of these houses - well they did run into a house. I think at some point they should back off and wait," explained Billie Hoffman, who pointed out the school just down the road, and says children frequent the sidewalks of Front Street.
Now, the community is trying to help this family pick up the pieces.
"Personally, I've had two home fires, so I know what these family is going through, what their needs are going to be, and their needs are pretty immediate," said Renee Hoffman, Director of the Frederica Senior Center. She said the center will be having a benefit dinner next week, and the fire department will be collecting clothes for the family.
"This is just something that you know our little town - we stepped up with the COVID situation, we have no choice but to step up and help this family the best we can."
For information on the fundraising dinner for the Martz family, click here.
There is also a GoFundMe for the family, and the Frederica Volunteer Fire Company has been posting updates to events on their page.