AHOSKIE – A Windsor couple avoided serious injury here early Saturday afternoon after their vehicle slammed into the Social Security Building, located at 1231 West First Street.

Ronald Joseph Heath, 67, of Watson Street was operating a 2011 Chevrolet SUV east on First Street shortly after 1:30 p.m. There, the vehicle veered to the right and entered the parking lot of the Social Security office where it eventually collided with the building. The impact left a gaping hole in the east corner (front left portion) of the brick building.

Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh said Heath and his wife, Patricia Devaney Heath (a front seat passenger), were injured. They were taken to Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital where they were treated and released.

The vehicle was a total loss. Damage estimates to the building are unknown.

“From what we know at this time, someone was scheduled to arrive on Monday to estimate the damage to the building and start the process of making the necessary repairs,” Fitzhugh said.

Fitzhugh added that the Social Security office was occupied at the time of the accident. Fortunately, no one was in that particular area of the building when the vehicle struck the office.

Efforts were unsuccessful to contact the Social Security office on Monday to check on how the accident may impact their normal hours of operation. Security guards were in place in the parking lot over the weekend to prevent anyone from entering the building through the gaping hole caused by the accident.

The cause of the accident is under investigation by Ahoskie Police Patrolman James Powell. Charges may be pending.