Seven people were injured, among them a 6-year-old girl, and six of them taken to Florida Hospital Flagler following a three-car wreck at the intersection of State Road 100 and Colbert Lane in Flagler Beach just before 7 p.m. this evening.
All seven people are Palm Coast residents. None faced life-threatening injuries. Both westbound lanes of SR100 were closed to traffic from the area of the Publix shopping center, to near the intersection with I-95.
According to authorities at the scene, Maria Robinson, 37, was at the wheel of a blue Cadillac, driving east on SR100. She was trying to make a left onto Colbert Lane. As a witness–and an ex-law enforcement officer–described it to police, traffic lights in both directions of SR 100 were green. Robinson, the witness told police, tried to make the turn just ahead of oncoming traffic. She didn’t make it.
Yuriy Cheban, 53, was driving a black Audi west, in the outside lane of the two-lane highway. Robinson’s Cadillac t-boned Cheban’s car on his driver side, catapulting the Audi toward a light pole. Cheban tried to maneuver the car to avoid striking the light pole and ended up in the ditch on the north side of the road.
Saul Hoffman, 76, was driving a brown Nissan, with three passengers–two women and another man, all about the same age. He had been traveling west on SR100, 20 feet behind the black Audi, on the inside lane. He had little time to react, and crashed into the rear passenger side of the Cadillac, causing the two cars to sandwich each other, one facing west, the other facing east, roughly in the center of the road’s westbound lanes.
Cheban complained of a hip injury but declined medical attention at the scene, and was walking and speaking with police and others who had joined him after the wreck.
The 6-year-old girl in Robinson’s Cadillac was complaining of shoulder pain when she was taken to the hospital. Robinson was transported with a neck brace. The injuries to the four people in the brown Nissan are unknown at this time.
A Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy was first on scene, immediately followed by the Flagler Beach Fire Department (Lt. Stephen Cox was in command) and Flagler County Fire Rescue. Flagler Beach’s Engine 11 and Rescue 11 responded, as did Flagler County Fire Rescue’s Engine 92, Battalion 93, Rescue 92 and Rescue 21. All three rescues were needed for transport. The sheriff’s office turned over the investigation to the Florida Highway Patrol. The Palm Coast Fire Police regulated traffic in the area. The scene was still actively being investigated at close to 9 p.m., but wreckers had been summoned.
More images will post shortly.
Outsider says
My wife and daughter made it through just prior to them blocking off the traffic so they came upon the scene but had to turn around. They were very upset as they saw people lying on the road. Thank you Flagler Live for covering this incident so quickly as they will sleep better knowing the folks will be okay.
Sw says
Slow down
just me says
we all need to slow down ant pay attention while driving.
anonymous too says
I find that most drivers in Florida don’t use signals when turning or changing lanes. Wonder if the driver who turned used signals?? It’s very helpful to other drivers when signals are used so we know what the other driver intends to do. It’s a good safety practice to use signals.
anonymous too says
I have found that most drivers in Florida don’t use signals when changing lanes or turning. I wonder if the driver had been using signals at the time. It’s very helpful to other drivers to know what the other driver’s intentions are so not using signals is a big driver safety concern.
Dan potter says
I have noticed in Flagler County that all stops are of the rolling variety. As the non use of signal lights also seems prevalent it gives defensive driving a whole new meaning.
Optional says
Didn’t you know turn signals are an optional package? Optional whether the moron behind the wheel knows how to use it! I’ve seen flagler and Volusia cops turn without using a signal so why should average citizen?
And I’m sure this crash had more to do with beating on coming traffic than signaling.
Glooby Gloob says
The visibility of oncoming traffic at that intersection is excellent, and there’s very rarely much traffic there, so not a complicated turn to make. It makes you wonder if the investigation will reveal any alcohol or drugs as a factor in the error.
Annonymous says
Actually, visibility can be tricky if headlights are lacking on a car. If drugs/alcohol played a role, it probably would’ve been “first page news.”