Two vehicles collided head on, igniting a fire, on U.S. 1 at County Road 304 Sunday night, sending two victims to the hospital with severe injuries and closing the highway’s southbound lanes.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s 911 notes, the crash was reported at 9:38 p.m. when one of the vehicles appears to have been going the wrong way, going south in the northbound lanes. The crash involved a red Dodge Charger and a Jeep Cherokee. Laura Marie Gallagher, 38, of Palm Coast, was in the Charger, Paul Leland McKnight, 39, of Ormond Beach, was in the Cherokee. The Cherokee was reported to be in the wrong lane.
The 911 center received several calls about the crash, some of them reporting people on scene trying to help the victims and being unable to pull one of them out of the Charger, as it was on fire. No one had a fire extinguisher at the scene in the immediate aftermath of the crash until a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene with one.
Paramedics arrived within minutes, and CPR was in progress for one of the victims. Twelve minutes after the crash, the victim who’d been entrapped in one of the vehicles had been pulled out.
Authorities asked to have an emergency helicopter dispatched, but Trauma One out of St. Johns County declined because of fog. Air One, Volusia County’s helicopter, went on stand-by, and a landing zone was being prepared on U.S. 1, but Air One eventually announced that it would not fly either because of weather. Flagler County Rescue 62 and 92 transported both patients to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach.
Southbound lanes on U.S. 1 were closed in the area of the crash, with the Palm Coast Fire Police diverting traffic at Karat Path.
The highway was reopened shortly after midnight.
Barb Cosenza says
Poor lighting and speed have been contributing to accidents along Rte 1 along the area through Palm Coast lately. Though this is north of the Dixie Hwy area where a traffic circle is being built, the problems of lighting and speed remain contributary to creating dangerous situations there.
Bob says
Nobody should be driving drunk in the age of lyft and Uber.
The Geode says
Why even BOTHER calling the “helicopters”? If the weather ain’t absolutely perfect – they ain’t coming
Flaglerresident says
Why is our helicopter never available for accidents in our own county.
CK says
Wicked accident. Hopefully they weren’t too injured.
CK says
@Flaglerresident because ours goes out of service at 8PM…
Thetruth says
Yes, why aren’t there helicopters available for emergencies, for the population of Flagler County is is necessary. Get with the times and start providing our county with the services that are necessary.
Only Me says
Yes, why aren’t there helicopters available for emergencies, for the population of Flagler County is is necessary. Get with the times and start providing our county with the services that are necessary.
Montana says
No where in the article did it say alcohol was a factor….the one driver may have been old and not knowledgeable of the area, due to the fog, not paying attention to surroundings. By the way….did you know Flagler County is the rumor capital of the world. People hear or read a story and put in their two cents without know if all the facts. Just saying.
Concerned Citizen says
In regards to the comments about being available during poor weather. And this is coming from a licensed pilot.
Helo’s operate under different rules. While a Helo can operate under Instrument Flight Rules most flying is done under Visual Flight Rules. Even with Instrumentation fog can be a nightmare to operate in. I personally won’t fly in inclement weather and I have thousands of hours.
You approach a landing zone visually and if fog is in the area it makes it very hard to see. Some landing zones are near wires and other objects so pilots have to use extreme care. They try to use marked LZ’s but that might not always be possible. Also the LZ might not be fogged in at the scene but what about the hospital?
§ 91.155 Basic VFR weather minimums
Part (b) Class G Airspace, Paragraph (1) Helicopter. A helicopter may be operated clear of clouds if operated at a speed that allows the pilot adequate opportunity to see any air traffic or obstruction in time to avoid a collision. All other VFR weather minimums are in effect.
§ 91.157 Special VFR weather minimums
•This part allows helicopters to fly SVFR even when flight visibility is below 1 statute mile when required for other aircraft.
•This part also allows helicopters to operate SVFR at night while other aircraft would have to be IFR certified with an instrument rated pilot.
•This part allows helicopters to take off or land a helicopter even when the ground visibility is below 1 statute mile.
And yes Flagler County really needs Fire Flight back on 24 hour service. Why do us citizens continue to suffer from inadequate EMS Service because the BOCC can’t maintain a budget?
If you stopped over paying illegally double dipping Admin Assistants and empire building Administrators we could have proper coverage.
Josh M says
I also noticed that there was no mention of either driver under the influence of alcohol. Sounds like weather was a factor here
Laura says
I am the girl that drove the charger . He had a 2.30 blood alcohol content .
Cam says
What ways your tho I know