JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man who was killed with his 1-year-old son while crossing Baymeadows Road on Friday night has been identified as a Duval County Public Schools educator, the district told News4JAX on Monday.
According to DCPS, Mitchell Patch was a math teacher at Bayview Elementary.
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Patch and his 1-year-old son, Everett, were killed around 8:30 p.m. Friday after being struck by a car traveling in the eastbound lanes of Baymeadows Road.
Bayview Elementary’s Principal Kelly York sent a message to the school’s families on Saturday to share the news of Patch’s death.
“We will all certainly remember Mr. Patch for his incredible commitment to students and to the teaching profession. He was a dedicated educator and well-loved and respected member of our Brave family,“ the message said in part. ”Our sympathies go out to Mr. Patch’s family, friends, and our entire school community during this difficult time. I am deeply saddened, and I know the students, staff and family members who knew Mr. Patch will miss him tremendously."
The principal also informed families that there would be specially trained school counselors and social workers on campus on Monday to support those affected by Patch’s death.
Dylan Williams, manager at Wicked Barley Brewing Company, told News4JAX on Monday that Patch was part of a large party that was being held at the establishment.
“We were in the middle of a rush when it happened. Next thing you know, we just started seeing flashing lights. It started getting bigger. So we kind of figured something more intense happened,” Williams said. “We had a large group of family members mourning. It was very tragic.”
The incident has also raised concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety in the area.
“If we could have our city look at maybe some kind of crosswalk or some kind of pedestrian lights for our area to help keep people safe. That’d be incredible,” Williams said.
Councilman Joe Carlucci, who represents District 5, told News4JAX his office has been in touch with traffic engineering and have “escalated the matter to FDOT and made them aware of the demands for a crosswalk.”
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, there have been two crashes reported in this location so far this year, including this incident.
The other incident was a hit-and-run crash that happened in a business parking lot, JSO said.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to help Patch’s wife cover funeral costs and other expenses related to the death of her husband and son.
“Mary is a dedicated and hardworking member of our team, and now, it’s our turn to show her how much we care and support her. Please consider donating, and share this page with others who may want to help. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference,” the GoFundMe page reads.
JSO said on Friday that the driver was taken to a nearby hospital and was cooperating with investigators.
So far this year, Duval County has reported 62 traffic fatalities, including 12 involving pedestrians.