POST FALLS - A path of destruction came to a halt just a few feet from the front door of a home.

A male driver took out multiple trees and mailboxes, a utility box and front-yard landscaping in a quiet neighborhood on South Riverside Harbor Drive on Wednesday night.

"I'm just thankful that he hit the tree (in the front yard)," said homeowner Lisa Clausen. "That's what stopped him from hitting the column (at the front entrance). He must've been going pretty fast because there's debris everywhere. There were tree branches in my stairwell."

Clausen said the suspect - described by residents as a white man, about 5-foot-7, 30 years old and 180 pounds with short hair - tried to start the white 2014 Toyota Tacoma with Kootenai County plates after the crash.

The truck had sustained heavy front-end damage.

"Obviously, it wasn't going to start," Clausen said.

The crash was reported around 8:15 p.m. after residents heard loud noises outside.

John Keating, a neighbor, said he raced from his house in bare feet in freezing temperatures after witnessing the end of the crash and approached the suspect. The suspect, wearing a leather jacket and blue jeans, appeared to be lethargic, Keating said.

"I asked him if he was OK, and he mumbled something and tried to turn the engine over," Keating said. "I said, 'Whoa, there may be leaking gas so we don't need any sparks.' He just looked at me in a fog, didn't try it again and held himself up with the side of the truck. When I started to move to help him, he jogged into the night."

The suspect fled on foot southbound on Riverside Harbor. Another neighbor briefly gave chase to try and keep him in sight. Police were unable to locate the suspect.

Post Falls Police Capt. Greg McLean said police have a name of the suspect, but were unable to locate him on Thursday. They declined to name the suspect, citing the investigation.

"He appears to be the owner of the truck," McLean said. "We did attempt to locate him (in the Riverside Harbor area) and spoke to family, but he has not been found as of yet."

A cellphone was recovered on the front passenger floorboard. Police said attempts to reach the suspect were unsuccessful.

McLean said a relative of the suspect lives near where the crash occurred, and added that alcohol may be a factor in the crash.

The driver will likely be at least charged with leaving with the scene of an accident, a misdemeanor.

McLean said suspects who have been drinking will oftentimes flee the scene of an accident because they don't want to be charged with a DUI.

Police estimated the amount of property damage, not including the truck, to be more than $1,000.