Elderly Man Taking Afternoon Nap Dies As Vehicle Crashes Into His House

An elderly man in Australia died when a car crashed into his home while he was taking an afternoon nap.

The incident took place in Maitland, New South Wales' Hunter Region, on Sunday. Brian Phipps, 74, was resting in the front bedroom when the four-wheel-drive (4WD) rammed into his house, 7 News reported.

Phipps had reportedly undergone spinal surgery recently.

Investigators believe that the 69-year-old driver of the vehicle suffered a cardiac arrest, causing him to veer off the street and crash into the 100-year-old house. Both Phipps and the unidentified driver were taken to a hospital. Phipps succumbed to his injuries Monday morning, according to 9 News.

John Robinson, a neighbor, and friend of Phipps told 9 News that the latter was "too young" and "too good of a bloke" to die. "It's horrible," he said. "Worst thing you've ever seen."

The driver remains at the hospital in stable condition.

Phipps' neighbors were praised by the emergency services for rushing to his rescue after the crash. They found Phipps crushed between the cupboard and the bed. "He was jammed in against the cupboard and the bed. We had to pull the bed back and lift the cupboard up and get him out," Terry Saxby, a neighbor, told 7 News. "My wife was holding his hand and comforting him while it was happening ... it was just terrible," he added.

Another neighbor who peered into the vehicle to check on the driver found the latter unconscious. “When my husband got into the car, he had to try and turn it off because it was still trying to push through into the house,” Hannah Everett-Deards told 7NEWS.

Neighbors tried their best to save Phipps. They reportedly arranged for a defibrillator machine from a nearby car and attempted to save him. "They have restarted his heart and given him the best chance of survival," Acting Superintendent of the Greater New Castle area, Nathan Tallon, told 7NEWS.

Phipps' family told 9 News that they "don't blame the driver" for the accident. Police urged anyone with dashcam video footage in the area to contact them.