After going more than three months without a road fatality, Flagler County roads were the site of two crashes causing the death of three people within hours early Sunday morning–a motorcycle crash in Flagler Beach and a car crash on County Road 304.
In the first incident, a 54-year-old Palm Coast man riding his motorcycle south on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach was killed shortly after midnight this morning (March 2) when he struck the median on the narrow, sparsely-lit two-lane road.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the motorcycle “attempted to overtake an SUV on the left side. The front wheel of the motorcycle then struck the raised concrete center median.”
The motorcycle overturned several times, ejecting the driver. The motorcycle–its make was not identified in the report–ended in the northbound lane of A1A. “The driver came to final rest in the center median north of the motorcycle and was pronounced deceased on the scene,” the report states. The motorcyclist, whose identity FHP has not released, was wearing a helmet.
A1A’s travel lanes in that area are very narrow. The concrete median and french drains the Department of Transportation built when A1A was last reconstructed were added at the end of 2019. The median-divided segment of road reopened in December 2019. The median starts at South 9th and stretches to South 22nd.
There was little evidence of a crash at the scene at sunup this morning, other than an orange traffic cone placed on the concrete, where the median begins at South Street, and in the sandy median, where the victim lost his life, an errant surgical glove, a white shirt, and some coiled electrical wires that may have been loosened from the motorcycle.
There are street lights on A1A but they’re simmer than standard street lights so as not to disorient sea turtles. Bike Week started in Daytona Beach on Friday, running through March 9. If it is Bike Week related, the fatality would be the first of this year’s event in Volusia or Flagler counties. It was the first road fatality in Flagler Beach since 2023.
The second crash took place at 4:25 a.m. An 18-year-old man was driving a sedan west on CR304, west of U.S. 1, with a 17-year-old passenger from Pierson. According to FHP, the car, for unknown reasons, drifted across the eastbound lane and onto the left shoulder, striking the end of a concrete bridge railing. The driver and the passenger were pronounced deceased at the scene by Flagler County Fire Rescue paramedics. The passenger, a boy, was not wearing a seat belt. The driver was, according to FHP. Next of kin had not been informed of the crash by the time FHP released its initial report.
The three road fatalities from the two crashes are the first this year in Flagler County. The county had 17 road fatalities last year, according to FHP, including three motorcyclists.
Dakota Brooks says
So sad. Peace to his family.
Michael Van Buren says
Looking at the picture, I have to wonder if that median is even MUTCD compliant or not? Maybe if it was painted and had signage (R4-7 and an OM1-1) might have given the rider advanced warning that the median was there.
Let it burn says
the global embarrassment may shut down the DoT on a whim. Anything for his daddy Putin. Agent Krasnov committed treason!
S. Peters says
There should be road reflectors on that concrete median. With minimal lighting in that area, wouldn’t it make sense to put road reflectors on the median?
HayRide says
Ya got to remember there is always half completed construction during every bikeweek function. How about the uneven pavement on Royal Palm and US1, or years ago the truck size pot holes at the Hess Station on US1, and the owner claimed it was the responsibility of the county, but it was on his property. That guy was a price of work. Driving thru Daytona they always seemed to have some road dug up. With out of towners traveling, for these events you’d think they would think more about safety . But yearcafter year there was alway a road torn up, town officials would tell ya the funding needed to be used in certain times or loose it.
JimboXYZ says
Wow, they put those medians in, lowered the speed limit to 25 mph and someone still found a way to male this possible ?
Chris Goodgellow says
They have installed new medians further north on A1A Butler Beach and Varn Park. Last week while coming home towing my kayak trailer a car attempted to pass me at the varn park one. People are not familiar with them being there yet and they are not lighted. Accident waiting to happen!
LeeVC says
May all 3 of them Rest in Peace and may their families find some comfort…especially over the next few weeks.
We lost our son in January and it is truly the most painful thing I have ever experienced…I wish the family members peace…and I believe they will all be reunited again.
Land of no turn signals says says
Dim lights on A1A,Turtles at fault.
JPM Flagler says
Maybe we should consider making A1A a NO PASSING zone. There is little room for error there. RIP to all who died today. My husband, an avid motorcycle rider and motor cross racer of over 60 years finally sold his bike stating that it is not safe riding out there unless you go west of Bunnell.
FlaglerLive says
A1A in that entire stretch is a no-passing zone.
PeachesMcGee says
The motorcyclist, being from PC, should know that A1A in FB is virtually all no-passing and construction zones.
Sadly, this rider couldn’t maintain his patience and paid the ultimate price.