CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A single vehicle accident on the first day of the yearhas left Albert Perez, the owner of Perez Properties, grappling with an unexpected setback.
On New Year's Day, a van crashed into his property on the Westside, causing significant damage and forcing Perez to put his plans for the year on hold.
"I was hoping to hit the ground running this year, but now all I can do is board up and hope I can get things under control," Perez said.
Perez Properties has been on the Westside for more than five decades. It has been a family-run operation since it was passed down to Albert after his father's death.
However, the road to stabilizing the business has been far from easy. Perez had spent years paying off bills, and he felt like he was finally getting back on track.
"It's been a struggle," Perez added. "There were a lot of things my dad didn’t take care of, and I’ve been working hard to pull everything together. Now, it's just destroyed overnight."
The damage caused by the crash is devastating. Perez described the scene:
"The van was sideways, my front door was the front of their car, and my back entrance gate was the back end of the vehicle."
This incident marks the second time Perez has faced such damage to his property.
What makes the situation even more challenging is that Perez does not have insurance to cover the costs of the repairs.
"There’s a lot to do. I need to clean up, get the debris out, and board up—that's my top priority right now," he said.
Despite the overwhelming circumstances, Perez remains focused on getting back to work as quickly as possible.
"I’m on standby right now, not sure what I’m going to do. But I’m going to pick up the pieces," he added.
With the New Year just beginning, the future of Perez Properties remains uncertain, but Perez is determined to recover.
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