Last Updated: June 21, 8:49 p.m.
Cody’s Corner–the intersection of State Road 11 and County Road 304, at the southwest end of Flagler County, was the scene of a devastating wreck again late this morning.
Two people are dead and a third person, a man, was taken to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach, after one car T-boned another and catapulted it against a loaded logging truck. The driver of the logging truck was not hurt.
George W. Brown, 60, and Sandra Brown, 49, both of of Welaka, Fla., were killed. Meredith Holmes, 68, a resident of the Villages, was injured. Charles D. Bennett, 56, of Pierson, was at the wheel of the logging truck.
The wreck took place just before 11:30 this morning, in bright, clear conditions.The Florida Highway Patrol investigated the scene. Preliminary reports at the scene indicated that George Brown, at the wheel of a gold-colored 1991 Chrysler, may have blown past a stop sign at the two-way stop intersection. A black VW Jetta driven by Holmes t-boned it, causing the gold car to also crash against the front of the logging truck.
The Jetta was driving south on SR11, an FHP investigator said at the scene. The Chrysler was going east on 304. The logging truck was stopped on SR11, preparing to make a left turn onto 304. “The Chrysler went into the intersection, I don’t know why yet,” the FHP investigator said. The Chrysler’s action triggered the wreck. The Chrysler had initially been stopped at the intersection, an FHP crash report released Sunday indicates.
Both the Jetta and the Chrysler ended up fully in the grassy shoulder at the southwest corner, with both cars facing southwest (as measured by compass though the report notes southeast as the vehicles direction, in accordance with the two roads’ direction at that sport). The logging truck, which belongs to Tumbling Pines Inc. of Bunnell, was heading north on SR11. It remains where it was the instant of the wreck, stopped at the stop sign, facing north on SR11, its front bumper dented.
Holmes was not seriously injured and was taken to Halifax as a precautionary measure, early reports indicate.
Initially rescuers from Bunnell’s Engine 63 were not able to extricate the two bodies in the gold car because the violence of the wreck had wrapped metal and other car parts around the victims to such a point as to make extrication difficult. Flagler County Fire Rescue sent Engine 92 to assist as soon as the medical examiner gave clearance to remove the bodies. The individuals’ ages are not known at the moment, but a man was at the wheel, and a woman, or a girl, was in the back seat.
“The impact of the car was on the direct driver’s side, and it was right at the driver’s side door,” Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito, who was at the scene soon after the wreck, said. “What we call intrusion into the car is how far” the impact moves parts of the car into its normal frame. “If the metal is supposed to be here, and you get a two-foot intrusion, it’s actually two feet into the car. This was two to three feet into the car. The driver’s seat was actually where the passenger seat is supposed to be. So you can imagine the compromised metal that is now where it’s not supposed to be, we peel it away from it. If we do an extrication on a regular car, that metal is not that compromised, where the Jaws of Life is able to just rip it off. We try not to do any damage to the bodies any further so the medical examiner can see the cause of death. There’s a lot more that goes into an extrication like that.”
Petito, interviewed four hours after the crash, said that it had been established that both victims in the Chrysler were adults, though “we don’t know their ages just by looking at them, and they couldn’t get their ID’s until we had actually cut into the car,” the chief said.
The extrication was taking place at 1:30 p.m. and was completed by 2 p.m.
The Palm Coast Fire Police closed southbound and north-bound traffic on SR11 at Cody’s Corner. Those conditions remain in place for now.
Outsider says
I’m quite familiar with this interesection and passed the scene a little while after it happened. Both cars in fact ended up in the southeast corner of the intersection facing southeast, not southwest. Also there is no stop sign for the logging truck who appears to have been in the northbound lane of SR 11. Eleven, which runs north and south is intersected by 304 which runs east west at this point, with both eastbound and westbound lanes of 304 having a stop sign. I would say the gold car was eastbound on 304, blew the stop sign and was hit by the southbound Jetta, again, who had no stop sign, which caused the gold car to strike the northbound truck before both vehicle so tinged onto the east shoulder. While I am normally quick to blame the logging trucks for wrecks, I would guess he actually saw this unfolding and stopped as he would have been past the intersection had he been traveling at full speed. He was in fact stopped short of the intersection. It looks like he did all he could to avoid the wreck.
FlaglerLive says
Outsider, you are correct about the non-existent stop sign ahead of the truck, but not the actual orientation. While 304, as far as its road-map orientation is concerned, runs east-west, the road veers away from its marked orientation in places, as it does there, and the actual geographic orientation of the location of the wrecked cars, verified by compass, was southwest.
Obama 2015 says
I’ve almost done this myself because I wasn’t familiar with the area at night years ago. It seems like a light might be needed to keep this from happening.
Christine says
thank you maybe they did not die in vain
Outsider says
There are warning signs outlined in flashing LED lights that you are approaching a stop sign. The volume of traffic does not justify a traffic signal, but a flashing light would certainly be in order.
Dave says
I agree a flashing light in the center of the intersection would help. But I think 304 needs speed bumps on both sides not just one. And a flashing light at the location of the Dangerous Intersection signs on 304 and Dangerous Intersection flashing lights on 11. Anything to save a life.
Gayle Conant says
If this was a two-way STOP, why was the impact so hard??? This was my cousin and her husband who were killed!!
Harry says
The impact was so hard because the jetta was on 11 not 304. Therefore the jetta did not have to stop. At 60mph,it’s like hitting a brick wall. Sorry for your loss but your cousin and her husband were in the wrong by running the stop sign. I pray for your family and hope for the ease of pain.
denise says
The log truck driver is my dad. He was north bound on SR 11 waiting to make a left onto 304. Therefore he was stopped and never moved. The accident unfolded in front of him. He fully loaded and gold car crossed SR 11 and was t boned by the black car. The gold car was pushed into the front of his truck. He was not cause if this accident!! He is struggling with the events and sight of the accident. To blame “a log truck” is absurd! My heart felt sympathy to the family who will dis not make out of this accident.
Just a thought says
I’m glad your father is ok and sorry he had to witness this. However, I did not see where any blamed the your father or the log truck. The story made it obvious the gold car was at fault.
Anonymous says
Dear Denise. I would be very interested in what your father saw , if you feel he would be able to vividly write down what he feels could have contributed to this very tragic event, AS a shall we say a peace officer , several different things have gone through my mind , non of them have to do with truck. Dale Brown ,, Drivers brother. if the other car was traveling at 60 65 mph chances are they may not have been visible when the gold car proceeded into intersection after stopping.
Chris says
I drive through this intersection a few days a week. The problem is that 304 does not have a posted speed limit I am aware of on the west side. I find myself doing 60 on 304 and have to slow down rapidly as I approach 11 from the west. There is a clearly marked stop sign with flashing lights, though. Hopefully they will put a traffic light there now, since there have been several fatalities at the intersection. RIP for the victims and may there family be comforted.
Outsider says
Gayle, I am terribly sorry to hear to hear this was your cousin. Please accept my deepest sympathies. We need to learn from all tragedies such as this and hopefully get this intersection fixed for those unfamiliar with the area. The VW was traveling on 11 where the speed limit is 55 or 60 I believe, and routinely see cars traveling faster. This would explain the deep impact into the Chryer.
Linda says
Excellent discussion, clarifying much for me. I am very familiar with the intersection. Very sad. Appears that the Chrysler was an older model car with no airbags, not that that would have prevented the accident, but I bet the Jetta passenger(s) are glad they had airbags. So sorry for everyone’s loss and terrible experience.
denise says
The first person was quick to admit he wanted to blame to log drive. I just want to clarify why and how my dad was involved.
Christine says
Hopefully a light at that area will help and my step brother and his wife did not die in vein. I am having a hard time with this, we were close. RIP- I love you
victoria says
Can we have a little respect here for the family!! The people in the gold car were very kind hearted people & this is so sad and tragic!! We all make mistakes & truly u don’t know the outcome no one does it may have been health related no one really knows what it was but them!! I am sure a few of you have been in a rush ran a stop sign blew a light once in your lifetime or was not familiar with a area & have done that by mistake really watch what you say because they have children good children & family to! Put yourself in the families shoes & have some respect!!
Wayne says
There’s nothing disrespectful about discussing the details of a car wreck. As a pedestrian who witnesses careless driving and overly aggressive every day, I can tell you that people cannot be careful enough and we all need to do more to be safe. This forum is beneficial.
Wayne says
There’s nothing disrespectful about discussing the details of a car wreck. As a pedestrian and bicyclist who witnesses careless and overly aggressive driving every day, I can tell you that people cannot be careful enough and we all need to do more to be safe. This forum is beneficial.
Dale Brown says
Dale . As the brother of the driver of the gold car. and not at all familiar with the area this has occurred , i can think of something to ask the truck driver ,,,, What did you see as you were stopped or as you had come to a stop to make a left .??
gary benson says
Dale,so sorry to here about your brother. I will always remember the times we all had together.
Outsider says
Not to belabor a seemingly trivial point in light of the sad circumstances, but in the interest of an accurate discussion on this intersection, I will say that for the first eight miles from U.S. 1 to just prior to 11, 304 runs southwest. Just prior to the scene, it veers due west, intersecting 11 at 90 degrees, with the intersection forming a nearly perfect compass rose. The vehicles in fact were in the southeast corner of the intersection, facing southeast.
Suggestion says
A roundabout at this type of intersection would prevent high speed side impact accidents. The Europeans use these type of intersections for a reason: no red lights, no stop signs, no high speed accidents and lower cost. Most folks really hate roundabout intersections at first, but when everyone gets used to them, and realizes how efficient and safe they are, you tend to like them even more.
Web-Link; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout
May God bless the souls in this accident.
Dave says
The $350k + construction of a roundabout would cost considerably more than a traffic light.
denise says
My dad is struggling emotionally with the events that took place. He has spoke very little about the accident. Our family is thankful for his safety but also very sorry for the loss of the Brown family.
This same intersection injuried my brother 20 years ago, when he too did not see the stop sign and was tboned. My condolences to the family that has suffered a terrible loss and the man involved we wish him a speedy recovery.
denise says
Dear Dale,
Please except our sincere condolences for your families loss. My father has spoke very little about this accident since friday. He is struggling with visions he saw as he jumped from his truck to check on everyone. Hopefully they do something about this intersection to prevent another tragedy.
Anonymous says
Thanks Denise, I know its not easy watching something like that unfold before your eyes. Tell him i wish him well. and that he can rest because he did everything he could do i’m sure..
Dale says
Thank you Denise , tell him i wish him well and i know he did all that was possible to help.