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Fatal car crash into Raleigh home was one of many

One man was killed Sunday morning after a car crashed into a home on N. New Hope Road, but the homeowner said this has happened several times before.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — A man was killed early Sunday after a car hit a home near North New Hope Road and Fawn Glen Drive in Raleigh, police said.

The wreck happened at about 12:30 a.m when Yoni Jose Bonilla-Turcios, 22, was driving north on New Hope Road and lost control of his 1996 Honda sedan. According to police, the car left the road, struck a brick pillar that was part of a subdivision entrance sign, and then hit 4101 Fawn Glen Drive.

"I heard the accident, got up, looked out. It shook my house," said neighbor Greg Hunter.

Bonilla-Turcios was taken to WakeMed where he later died.

Sunday's incident is not the first of its kind to happen at the home.

"First, it happened on May 13, 2007. Mother's Day weekend," said homeowner Carlo Bernarte.

Three people died when a vehicle struck Bernarte's home in 2007. The home was struck by other vehicles in 2008, 2013, and 2014.

"I'm tired of it, I really am," said Hunter. "I know the city can do better than that."

The city installed reflectors on the New Hope Road curve leading up to the homes. Bernarte has installed hurricane-proof windows to protect his family from accident debris, and he is pushing the city to do something more to solve the problem.

If Bernarte had his way, a guardrail on the road would extend to his home.

In an email sent to Bernarte in January, the city pointed out that the crashes are a result of blatant disregard for the traffic laws and extending the guardrail is not feasible because of existing engineering rules and safety concerns.

"They say they can not engineer out drunk driving," said Bernarte.

Bernarte has already emailed the city again about the latest accident and is now waiting to se what will happen next. City officials could not be reached for comment Sunday evening.

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