JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Once again, Hendricks Avenue between Lorimier Road and River Oaks Road had to be shut down Monday morning because an out-of-control car went crashing through several front yards.
This time, it happened on Monday morning, shortly after 3:40 a.m., close to the traffic signal for River Oaks Road.
A BMW traveling north on Hendricks Road was recorded on surveillance video losing control, going through several front yards before crashing into a vehicle in a driveway and nearly pushing that vehicle into the living room of a home. Amazingly, no one was injured.
One neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said she saw two people get out of the BMW and that one of them was focused on accessing something in the trunk and back seat before leaving the scene on foot, just before the police arrived.
When News4JAX arrived on the scene, police had already blocked both directions of Hendricks between Lorimier and River Oaks.
A man was lying on the ground, who appeared to be asleep.
Police woke him up and walked him to a patrol car, patted him down, and allowed him to sit in the back of the patrol unit. He was not in handcuffs.
It’s unclear if that man was the driver or the passenger, and it’s unclear if he is facing any pending charges.
Because the car took out powerlines, several homes on the block were without electricity for most of the morning until JEA crews could restore the power.
News4JAX spoke with Daniel Drake, whose surveillance camera recorded the crash from two angles. She said she and her husband were asleep when they were awakened by the sound of the crash. They walked out their front door and saw a man standing in front of the car. They were not sure if he was the driver or the passenger.
“He was crying...but didn’t seem to be hurt,” Drake said.
This was not the first time Drake and her neighbors had experienced out-of-control cars leaving the road and crashing through their front yards.
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Back in mid-May, her surveillance camera recorded an out-of-control car slamming through several yards before clipping her car in the driveway and crashing into the front doorsteps. The driver went to the hospital with a leg injury.
According to police, the vehicle was traveling more than 100 mph when it left the roadway and crashed. A month later, during morning daylight, the driver of a black SUV lost control of his vehicle at the corner of Hendricks and Lorimier and crashed through a light post in front of a homeowner’s front yard.
In all three crashes, the crash vehicles were traveling North on Hendricks and appear to have lost control coming out of a curve and a slight hill before Lorimier Road.
“At this point, three times in four months is scary. Whether you are in your front yard or pulling into it or pulling out, it’s getting uncomfortable how often this is happening and how bad it is. I mean, taking out telephone poles and flipping cars is crazy,” Drake said.
Some neighbors now question if it’s safe to stand in their front yards.
“The crash that happened in June, our neighbor was moving her lawn, and she mentioned that she didn’t know if it’s safe to be out here right now. It was never raining or inclement during these crashes, so it has to be speed,” Drake said.
She also wonders if the crashes and near misses on her strip of Hendricks Ave. involve not only speeding but also drivers who are not familiar with the curvature in the roadway.
“I think if you’re not familiar with this roadway and not used to the hills, because there is a hill, despite signs telling you there is a curve coming, I just don’t think people pay attention or realize how quickly it turns and how easy it is to lose control of you’re going too fast,” Drake said.
Several years ago, a pedestrian was hit and killed a stone’s throw away from Drake’s house at the intersection of Hendricks and River Oaks.
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While police were processing the scene Monday morning, several joggers across the street who were familiar with previous crashes along that strip of Hendricks couldn’t help but glance over and once again see a crash scene.
“I think it’s concerning and sad because we want drivers and homeowners in the area to be safe, “ said Shelby Tucker, who was out jogging with her friend when they came across the crash site.
Tucker and her friend were asked if they could imagine jogging in front of Drake’s home when the crash occurred.
“The thought crossed our minds,” Tucker said.
Jacksonville City Councilman Joe Carlucci represents the area where the crashes and near misses keep occurring. He told News4JAX that something must be done to prevent more crashes.
“Here we are again, talking about a state road, and I guess my office will have to request a study to be done so that FDOT does something about this issue. I hate to say it like that, but I’m getting tired of it, and I wish FDOT would hear this loud and clear. They need to step up and make the improvements that need to be made,” said Councilman Carlucci, before also saying FDOT is not solely to blame. “It might not be people who are familiar with the street. There are a lot of components here, and the main component is safety. What can FDOT do and what can the city do to improve safety, because if drivers are not paying attention, then we can’t help that. All we can do is help improve the safety that’s already there.”
FDOT released a statement that says:
“Reviewing crash reports is critical to understanding crash causes and prevention on any roadway. FDOT respectfully refers inquiries about specific crashes to law enforcement for these crash reports. According to the official statewide crash database, there have been two reported crashes at the location in question since 2020.
As is standard operating procedure, FDOT reviews all reported crashes on state roadways and interstates – a special emphasis is placed on fatalities and crashes with injuries. If there are improvements that can be made to enhance the safety of the facilities, FDOT will work to implement them.
To that end, FDOT has an initiative to promote safe driving behavior, called Target Zero. Target Zero is a statewide initiative to reduce the number of transportation-related serious injuries and deaths across Florida to zero. Target Zero focuses on influencing dangerous driver behaviors before serious and fatal crashes occur. This is an important initiative as studies have found 94% of car crashes are attributed to human error, including distracted driving and speeding."