Same story, different decade. My wife and I bought our first car together, a new 77 Trans Am. Brought it home that night, she took off for work in it the next morning. I was in the machine shop running the bead blaster when I looked up and saw her crying. I asked her how bad was it and gave her a hug. She was sitting at a stop light in the slow lane. The light turned green, and the guy in the fast lane on her left, decided to turn right. Wiped out the whole side. Had it fixed by a good body shop and it turned out to be a great car.
Good luck with yours!