Family of 2010 Buckman crash victim calls for bridge changes

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The family of a woman who was killed after her SUV went over the Buckman Bridge four years ago wants change. 

Memories of four years ago flooded back to Vickie Kajy.

"Yesterday was an awful day," said Vickie Kajy. "I can't stop thinking about what was going through that person's mind, just like what was going through my sister-in-law's mind. That 3-4 minutes when you're fighting for your life," said Kajy.

Her sister-in-law, Luma Kajy, was run off the Buckman bridge four years ago. Pictures of Kajy's SUV being pulled out of the water, mirror pictures of the truck being pulled out Wednesday.

"It's hard to describe. It opened up all the wounds," said Kajy.

Kajy moved here seven years ago, started a business so she could be with her sister-in-law and her family. But she can't believe after countless accidents later with more people being thrown into the water, nothing has changed.

"They say 3 feet is high enough. Not for that bridge. Not when you have that water below and the speed," said Kajy.

The Florida Department of Transportation told Action News the bridge meets the required standards with barriers at least 32 inches high. While FDOT said it will take complaints to designers, there's no immediate plan to make changes.  

Kajy said this should be a wake-up call for leaders.

"Too many people have died, and you know it'll happen again," said Kajy. "Do something. The worst thing is to not do anything at all and nothing has been done."

Luma Kajy left behind a husband and two boys. They all left town after this happened. But Vickie Kajy tells Action News her sister-in-law's sons will be in town this week, having already planned a trip here to visit for the first time since their mother's death.

WJAX