RESIDENTS and guests of a beachfront Shoal Bay unit complex have been forced to seek alternative accommodation over the long weekend, after a car hit six piers and caused structural damage to the building.
Resident Peter Botham, who owns one of the six units, said he understood the car driver was an acquaintance of one of the unit's tenants.
"It's frustration," Mr Botham said of the atmosphere following the crash, which happened around 5pm on Saturday and has rendered the complex's carpark inaccessible.
Mr Botham said residents of three units at the rear of the building - known as Berrigal - had to evacuate and stay elsewhere.
Airbnb guests had just arrived at the time of the crash to stay in one, which had been recently renovated.
"We're disappointed. Everyone's had a big chat about it and we need to have a strata meeting - probably [Monday] to talk about what to do in the meantime."
Police said when residents went to investigate after the crash, the Hilux driver "allegedly reversed into a load-bearing wall", causing part of it to collapse, before driving away.
Police later received reports the car had crashed into a fence in Nelson Bay.
Officers found a man, 19, in the driver's seat.
A breath test allegedly returned a positive reading.
The man was arrested and taken to Nelson Bay Police Station, where he suffered a medical episode.
He was taken to Tomaree Hospital for non life-threatening injuries.
Officers will await the results of a blood sample before taking any formal action against him.
