A 60-year-old St. Augustine man was killed in a single-vehicle car crash on U.S. 1 in Palm Coast Friday afternoon.
The crash took place 0.4 miles north of the roundabout at Matanzas Woods Parkway. The man, whose identity the Florida Highway Patrol has not released, was traveling south and alone at the wheel of an unidentified vehicle on U.S. 1. At 2:45 p.m., when he “failed to negotiate a slight curve for unknown reasons, crossing into the northbound travel lanes,” according to an FHP report.
The patrol’s orange markers at the scene this morning trace the point of origin where the driver left the southbound lanes, dropping down a sharply embanked median before continuing down the northbound lanes, where he struck the concrete edge of the barrier on the bridge above Hulett Branch Creek, on the east side of the highway.
The collision was violent enough that a witness described the crash as shattering the vehicle, with visible air bag deployment. A nurse who happened to be passing by and who stopped to tend to the victim quickly determined that the man had died. An emergency helicopter was placed on standby, but the victim could not be helped.
Northbound traffic was closed at close to 3 p.m. and diverted onto Matanzas Woods Parkway. A Palm Coast Fire Department firefighter pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. Flagler County Fire Rescue and the Palm Coast Fire Police also responded. The Sheriff’s Office, first on scene, turned over the investigation to FHP. The investigation is ongoing.
The sight of a fatality would be disturbing to anyone driving by. But for some drivers, the fatality near Matanzas Woods was the second they drove by within a few miles. A 69-year-old St. Augustine pedestrian was struck and killed on U.S. 1 on the St. Johns side of the county line, south of Walkers Clay Drive, 45 minutes after the crash in Flagler County. The pedestrian was attempting to cross the highway when a 35-year-old driver struck him with his vehicle. The driver was not injured.
Exactly across the road from the site of Friday’s crash on Hulett Branch Creek Bridge, on the shoulder of the southbound lanes, an aging “Drive Safely” marker with a few flowers at its root pointed to the spot of a previous road fatality.
The Florida Highway Patrol, in a misinterpretation of Marcy’s Law, which provides for the protection of the identity of victims of crime, not civil issues, is not releasing any names.
Jimbo99 says
Another one of those strange days for traffic fatalities that pops up periodically.
A.j says
May GOD give strength to his family and friends. Sad.
Mary Fusco says
No one is driving less than 90 MPH on US 1. People need to slow down because once you lose control, it is all over. I use that road frequently and there are extremely aggressive drivers on it.
RU4OU2 says
You have no reason to make this comment. There was no mention of speed, could just be an accident or maybe a medical problem. Your words are very insensitive to family of the victim that may be reading this.
Law doc says
As this is a THI traffic homicide investigation, it is considered a crime scene, and as such, until the investigation is complete, the person IS a victim and their information is protected under Marcy’s law until such time the THI is closed.
FlaglerLive says
The purpose of Marcy’s Law is to protect victims from inappropriate or potentially harmful contact from those committing the crime, or their associates. You cannot further harm a deceased person. Applying Marcy to fatal victims of crashes is a misreading of the law, and a violation of Sunshine. Further, FHP’s additional new habit of issuing crash reports that don;t even specify the makes of vehicles involved is either sloppiness or intentional indifference to newsworthy information.
John says
What about the one at 9pm tonight at exit 289 and SR100? Saw body on the ground at 9pm. Bad wreck. Slammed into gaurdrail and steel lite pole in a pick up
AJ Rin says
US1 and Belle Terre have become a mini I95. Even if you go the speed limit, there is someone up on your bumper irate ,that they somehow think it’s their right to speed. I stay in the right lane which doesn’t make a difference with all the traffic now, they do it in that lane too. It’s unfortunate that this man passed , but it could have been a lot worse.
Sally says
US 1 needs to be patrolled more, no one drives the speed limit.
FlaglerBear says
I used to be a traffic homicide investigator in my former life. In many cases, when older folks suddenly veer off the roadway on a perfectly fine day and crash into a fixed object, we usually found evidence of a medical condition suffered while driving. It’s just part of life. When it happens in the city, they can wipe out pedestrians or people waiting at a bus stop. I’ve seen it all. Or…a tire blowout will cause a vehicle to lose control. Of course, US 1, Belle Terre and I95 have become speedways. This can also lead to crashes. I witnessed some idiot doing 70 on Belle Terre the other day. He almost T-boned a car turning left. Why the high speed? No reason. Just because! I still remember each and every body. They are permanently seared in my memory. I worked in a big city so there were lots of them. Drive safe everyone! PS: Don’t get upset because someone complained about speeding on US 1. Get upset at lawbreakers.
Gru75 says
Very likely a medical event. As technology progresses and proliferates these things can have better outcomes. Lane keep assist, auto braking, adaptive cruise control and auto emergency notifications come to mind here, and are all available right now. When I’m around 55+, you can bet I’ll make sure my car has these safety features, costs be damned.
Sympathies to the family and friends for your loss.