JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A collision on Atlantic Boulevard left three people dead and four others hospitalized on Sunday afternoon, fueling growing safety concerns among local residents.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) reported that the multi-car accident occurred around 12:30 p.m. near the 5400 block of Atlantic Boulevard, closing a portion of the area for several hours on Sunday.
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According to investigators, the “dynamic traffic crash” began when a juvenile driving a westbound Infiniti crossed over the center median and slammed into oncoming traffic. The Infiniti collided with three cars going eastbound, causing two of the vehicles to burst into flames.
The tragedy has left neighbors saddened but, for some, not entirely surprised.
Mauricio La Plante, who lives near the area, described the stretch of road as increasingly dangerous.
“I do notice crashes here quite often,” La Plante said. He noted that he refuses to use his bicycle on that section of the road because of the high speeds maintained by drivers. “I would never ride it here, like, God no. It’s just too many cars treating this like a highway, too many cars, like treating it like 95.”
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Edris Snow, another nearby resident, echoed these sentiments, expressing a desire for more stringent traffic controls. “I’m not surprised that this has happened,” Snow said. “I don’t know if it’s great if they change the speed limit. I wish they really would.”
This incident significantly adds to a grim milestone for the city. According to JSO, these latest deaths bring the total number of traffic fatalities in Duval County to 40 for the current year.
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As the community mourns, neighbors are calling for drivers to slow down on the busy stretch of road, where many currently feel unsafe even walking or cycling.
The investigation into the exact cause of the crash and potential charges for the teen driver is ongoing.
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