The white-striped shoulder on County Road 305 in many places is barely a few inches wide. In other places there is no shoulder: the grass crawls up to the asphalt, sloping up from a ditch.
An 81-year-old Bunnell man was walking along 305, not far south from the Hollar and Greene plant, when he was struck by a car and killed Wednesday evening, the third pedestrian to die from a car collision on Flagler County roads this year.
The Florida Highway Patrol and Flagler County Sheriff’s dispatch notes indicate that a 31-year-old Bunnell woman was driving a Hyundai north on 305. Moments before 5 p.m., she “failed to slow down for traffic ahead,” swerving to the right shoulder and striking the 81 year old. The man was catapulted into the ditch. The Hyundai’s windshield was shattered.
Authorities were at the scene within minutes. The man was pronounced deceased at 5:08 p.m. The woman, who stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities, was not injured. FHP has not released his or the driver’s identities.
County Road 305 was shut down in the area of the crash during FHP’s investigation. The fatality was the 12th of the year on Flagler County roads, which have seen a total of 835 crashes, 423 of them resulting in injuries.
Land of no turn signals says says
Sad but not surprised.So many people are driving phone in hand without a are in the world.Is that the the case here? maybe maybe not but how do you hit somebody in broad daylight in clear weather?Not paying attention? speed? We may never know.
pete says
SLOW DOWN is not in anyone’s VOCABULARY anymore. Driver need to be charged with manslaughter. This is uncalled for.
Atwp says
When driving we need to pay attention and slow down. Sad situation.
Billy says
So many people here now, its not a small country town anymore! Almost 200,000 by 2025. Going to look like Orlando
Carol says
Sadly enough, some drivers think 305 is the Daytona Speedway. My prayers to this man’s family.
Celia Pugliese says
Some do not slow down for pedestrians, cyclist, bikers or animals. Heartless.
Shark says
When is the FCSO going to learn how to investigate accidents? The Troopers have plenty to do on the interstate highways!!!
Local double taxpayer says
This county spends so much money on the east side of Flagler county and leaves bunnell with bad roads and no sidewalks on the west side of the county. Can’t even get a red light. Keep spending money on Sand that just keeps getting washed away… Building Bridges to nowhere that blinds drivers on highway 100 near Flagler… Then have to pay to keep it from blinding drivers. They also put down sidewalks on both sides of just about every road on the east side of the county. We can’t get one on mahogany. The only reason they paved water oak road was so they didn’t lose the right away back to Mr hackle who originally sold it to them with a claw saying if it wasn’t paid in so many years he would get the property back.
Celia Pugliese says
Exactly, when the FCBOCC asks for grants they ask 15 millions for the FIN airport were none of us can fly anywhere is for private executive, military and the “worst ” nuisance flight schools use , do not contribute a penny to our tax base and furthermore contaminate Palm Coast with leaded only used for training aircraft. Every year the end of year airport report shows a million plus in red. They dedicate 14 millions to start only for one more library and now 13 millions to only start with a Tourist Welcome Center, like we do not have enough tourist in our lacked of parking beaches, right? All this with green flag approval and happily ribbon cuttings of incumbent Mr. Dance and his sponsors like commissioner LeAnne Pennington. Please vote incumbents out for a change. We need the residents services and infrastructure paid in our taxes to be funded first. We need services county wide other than funding castles to themselves and for that we need Kim Carey, Pam Richardson and Fernando Melendez in the county commission. May God help us they get elected.
Ed says
So sad. BUT with no more than 2 FCSO deputies for the whole western half of the county speeding is out of control.
No motorcycle police. No traffic enforcement officers. They are all in Palm Coast.
If there was an ounce of prevention ???
This half of the county is severely undeserved by FCSO so
Billy says
Palm coast ruined flagler county
Mondexican or mondexicant? says
There are definitely more than two deputies at any given time in daytona north, not sure where you get the information from but you can usually find 3 in the empty lot just before mahogany, or 2 or so flirting with the cooler girls at any given time. There’s 1 or 2 that sit parked off of lancewood and butternut as well as stationed behind the a and s hardware store. That’s just the front part of daytona north. Go for a drive or walk and you will see.
dave says
The key words here are “failed to slow down for traffic ahead”. Why must people continue to ignore the speed limit, it’s there for a reason. Bad decisions in life can have everlasting consequences. Now its up to fast talking lawyers to decide what to do with this girl. And regarding there is only 2 officers assigned to that area, So I guess we have those that do not want to spend money for a broader FCSO presence across this country and those that do. The sheriff wants to add more deputies, his budget for this coming year is for 12 Law Enforcement Deputy Sheriff but his hands are tied by a budget which has to be approved by the County Commissioners and Palm Coast City Council. Noted in the Palm Coast Observer , On March 20, the commission and council heard a joint presentation from Sheriff Rick Staly, FCSO Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge and Palm Coast Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston presented an in-depth analysis of FCSO deputy staffing needs over the coming years. The analysis showed that, for the FCSO to keep up with a proactive patrol rate, the county would need 37 more deputies for the current population. If — and when — the county’s population continues to grow, more deputies will be needed to service the gap.” So if citizens want to complain about a lack of patrols, complain to the Flagler Cty County Commission . Our sheriff noted ” “If we fall behind, you’ll never get caught up,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “And that just doesn’t affect law enforcement.”
Celia Pugliese says
Can you detail what is exactly that PC ruined, because as a Palmcoaster “that do not hide behind an alias” I take offense…A little history I think contest your words:
Flagler County, Florida was established in 1917 by Governor Sidney J. Catts from parts of Volusia and St. Johns counties. The county is named after Henry Flagler, a railroad and business tycoon who improved the area’s railroad. Before the county was established, the area was made up of cattle ranches, potato farms, and turpentine stills, and was also home to Indian tribes such as the Timucuans and Seminoles.
https://palmcoasthistory.org/palm-coast-history/
Ed says
Information comes directly from FCSO.
There are no more than 2 deputies assigned west of rt 1
Catherine says
The Florida Highway Patrol investigates any car accident that results in a fatality or serious injuries. It is not that local agencies don’t want to do it.
Ed says
Source of number of deputies assigned to unincorporated Flagler County is FCSO itself.
Thier territory also includes Flagler Estates
Laurel says
Oh man, I avoided this article because I knew I’d read the same old condemning of drivers, and the crying of “slow down!”
Yesterday, while we were heading west on Palm Coast Parkway, we were heading towards a green light. A truck pulled out from a side road to the north, and went behind us over two lanes. Not particularly good, right? The problem was, a man on a bicycle went right through a red light, totally across in front of us across two lanes of traffic through OUR green light! We thought for sure that we were going to witness that truck hitting that man right before our eyes! Fortunately, the truck driver saw him in time to stop. The man on the bike never looked either way, never slowed down, and did not follow the rules of traffic. He was totally, completely, intentionally clueless of his misadventure. It’s times like that I wonder how he got through life as far as he did.
Whenever I walk on the roadside where there is no sidewalk, I keep looking behind me, if walking with the traffic direction, and if there is a car coming, I walk on the grass. Technically, when riding a bike, you ride with traffic and obey all traffic rules as does a car. If you are walking, you walk against traffic. That way you can see what’s coming. Any officer will tell you the same.
My point being, stop jumping to conclusions about the drivers in these events. There is a strong possibility you are wrong. Stop griping about drivers, and start following the rules of the road. You’ll be better off.
Mike warde says
Brian, we have been friends since kindergarten, you were always funny. Your Hartsdale friends miss you too much.