A single-car wreck closed U.S. 1’s southbound lanes south of Belle Terre Boulevard for an hour after 4 p.m. this afternoon, and sent two people to the hospital with serious injuries.
The wreck took place at 4:07 p.m. just south of County Road 304, in front of the Mobil Station. Antoinette Marie Nikas, a Flagler County resident in her mid-20s, was driving north in a white, older-model Ford Crown Victoria when, according to what she told a Florida Highway Patrol investigator, another driver pulled in front of her suddenly. The investigator, however, heard reports that she was driving fast and zipping in and out of traffic. The investigator said she’d reported having been on her way to pick up her children from an after-school program.
Nikas lost control of the car, which swerved then gashed into the median, causing the car to start overturning and rolling into the southbound lanes. The car overturned possibly two times, the investigator said, before coming to rest on what was left of its four wheels, astride both southbound lanes, facing southwest. The car was totaled, its driver’s side roof caved in somewhat. The passenger, Shane Miller, was hurt more seriously than Nikas, the investigator said. Both were transported by ground to Florida Hospital Flagler. Both were wearing seat belts. But there was no trauma alert.
No other vehicle was involved in the wreck, which closed the southbound lanes of U.S. 1 from County Road 304 to Karas Path and Karas Trail, onto which the Palm Coast Fire Police diverted traffic.
Flagler County Fire Rescue and the Bunnell Volunteer Fire Department responded, as did the Flagler County Sheriff’s Offfice, in addition to FHP. John’s Towing removed the wreck at 4:45 p.m. The road was reopened shortly after 5 p.m.
glad fly says
the “twilight zone” highway does it again. incredible.
SJ says
I have seen that car flying around Bunnell before, weaving in and out of traffic and driving very fast. Why don’t it surprise me to see it wreaked in a single-car wreck…
Prescient33 says
Those cars with “custom” wheels and oversized tires ignore the vehicle’s original design center of gravity, making them highly unstable in certain situations, including making sharp turns while weaving through traffic. In short, they may look “cool,” but they are not safe.
Anonymous says
I was in the car at the time. I THANK ALL THE GOOD SEMARATIANS THAT GOT THERE IN SECONDS AND THE FLAGLER RESCUE PEOPLE FOR BEING THERE WITHIN MINUTES …I received a broken right arm(which im right handed) ,my busted up body will be hurting for a long time …. Toni Nikas my girlfriend was pinned in and bleeding all over her face .Thankfully she didn’t have any life threatening injuries and had to be cut from the wreckage ….. us1 is not a safe highway to travel at interstate 95 speeds
shane miller says
are u kidding me do u know how man crown vics on rims there are in this town get a fn life ..I was in that car and I don’t speed ..my woman was driving ….IT WIL HAPPWEN TO U SOME DAY MAYBE NOT BY UR FAULT BUT ONE DAY U WILL FEL THE WAY WE FEEL NOW
shane miller says
I WAS IN THAT CAR AND SHE WEWNT OVER THE YELLOW LINE JUST A BIT. ENOUGHT TO MAKE THE CAR LOSE CONTROL. WE WERENGT DRUNK NOR HIGH …IT WAS AN ACCIDENT SO HOW F@##$#N DARE U SAY ” OH I SAW THAT COMMING” U SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF URSELF WE WERE RUSHING HOME TO GET OUR SON… HEY S.J. U GOT sh!t twisted ….
christina b says
Agreed, Prescient33; I saw a bright blue car very similar to that the other day, cruising around Palm Coast, almost identical, right down to the oversized tires. The instability of it was obvious, as the guy drove about 2 mph making a standard left turn. People were honking at him and he was mad, like people shouldn’t be mad at him for backing up traffic behind him (a half dozen cars missed the light because of this person and his “custom car”–he babied it the whole way between the light and the parking lot where he was headed, so people didn’t make it through).
It used to be that any customizing that renders a vehicle less than roadworthy would not be licensed, and/or you could be pulled over for it. Since Florida doesn’t even have simple vehicle inspections, I doubt these types of customized vehicles are regulated either. But they are clearly dangerous.
Charles Gardner says
Nothing wrong with the highway!
DONNA COHEN says
ID TONI OK? PLEASE CALL ME SHANE! GLAD YOU GUYS ARE OK! XOXO DUKES
DONNA COHEN says
IS TONI OK? PLEASE CALL ME SHANE! GLAD YOU GUYS ARE OK! XOXO DUKES
RR says
people just go wayyyyyyyy too fast. When you go up US 1 the speed limit is 65mph, then drops only to 60 just past John’s Junk Yard. and should be even lower there. But they still have to drive fast and carelessly.
Just coming into Bunnell the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 and I’ve had cars fly by me. I know they had to be doing at least 55-65 at that point, I always pray a cop sitting there, just waiting to nab such stupid drivers..
I can only say, I do wish the driver get well wishes and hope she realizes and was glad her children weren’t in the car with her. It could have been a 360..
Anonymous says
Driver error!!! The car only rolled once not twice! And yea they didn’t lift that car and put huge ridiculous looking rims on it at the factory for a reason. It’s unsafe!!!! Especially at 65 mph!!!
shane miller says
dangerous.. ? not really I just put $2000 into the BRAND NEW TIRES and RIMS. AND BRAND NEW FRONT END ALL REDONE… I made sure it was safe
shane miller says
A C T U A L L Y it flipped twice not rolled and I guarantee that my car was safe,my woman just made a mistake and wasn’t paying attention. if anything it was a DRIVER error and not a CAR error..