Jim and Ruth Metz were just finishing a remodeling project when another one practically fell into their lap.

John Taylor, Beaver Dam, says he was out taking a relaxing drive down Lakeshore Drive Monday afternoon around 1 p.m. when a squirrel darted across his path.

Being an animal lover, Taylor swerved sharply to the right to avoid the squirrel. His efforts saved the squirrel, but brought a quick end to the relaxing portion of his drive.

Taylor, 20, drove through a driveway, clipped a pine tree and continued until the 1998 Ford Escort crashed through the side wall of the Metz's garage at 1110 Lakeshore Drive. Shaken, Taylor managed to squeeze his way through his door, fortunate to have suffered only a few scrapes and cuts.

The same can't be said for the Metz's home.

Since they were remodeling other rooms in the home, many of the couple's belongings were temporarily being stored in the garage, where Taylor's car suddenly found itself wedged halfway through, taking out a central air conditioning unit in the process.

"It could have been worse, it could have been better," Ruth Metz said after a preliminary examination of the damage. "(Taylor's) lucky to be alive."