Vandals damage former Paralympian's custom-designed car

Vandals target former Paralympian's car Jamey Jewells says her custom-designed vehicle suffered major damage that left it undriveable. Kyle Moore reports.

NEW WATERFORD, N.S. — A former Paralympian and wheelchair basketball player from Cape Breton says her custom-designed car suffered major damage that has left her unable to drive it.

Jamey Jewells, who grew up in Donkin, N.S. and represented Canada at the 2012 Paralympics in London, says her car was hit by vandals over the weekend.

She says she's frustrated and furious and hoping whoever did it is caught.

The windshield is smashed in several spots, three brand new winter tires were slashed, and there are several dents and scratches on the outside of the vehicle. It's estimated to be several thousands of dollars' worth of damage.

"The car, the setup, is for me," Jewells said of her custom-designed car. "It's for me. That's my lifeline to get around."

Now, she's stuck at home, but to make matters worse, it's a place she no longer feels comfortable.

"The damage sucks," Jewells said. "We have to go through insurance and everything, but the fact that it's a safety issue now, and I'm a mom and have kids, that's really unsettling for me."

Her husband, Adam Lancia, says it was around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, just before going to bed, that he heard noises outside.

"We've lived in lots of different places and never have had anything like this happen," Lancia said.

He never thought he would find his wife's vehicle damaged like this and he's now worried about leaving his family home alone.

"You want to be able to live somewhere, where you feel safe," Lancia said.

Jewells says she has reported the vandalism to the Cape Breton Regional Police, who say they're investigating. But so far nobody has been held responsible for the damage.

"I don't understand why people feel the need to damage other people's property," Jewells said. "Take the whole disability and customization out. It's still somebody else's property. I work hard for that. I worked hard for the car."

Jewells is unsure how much it will cost to have the damage repaired, but is hoping insurance will cover it.

Police say the vehicle was the only one vandalized and reported to them in the New Waterford area. They are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them.