JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The owner of Scott Mill Veterinary Hospital, located off Interstate 295 and San Jose Boulevard in Mandarin, has raised safety concerns after multiple incidents in which cars have veered off the interstate and onto the property.
Owner Zack Moore called for action, citing the removal of a guardrail in 2016 as a contributing factor.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) removed the guardrail in 2016 after it improved the ramp slope, which FDOT said “no longer warranted a guardrail.”
Surveillance footage from the hospital captured an Aug. 26 incident where a car veered off the road and struck the fence that separated the interstate from the animal hospital’s property.
“The car was going so fast; if it had not hit one of these trees here, it could have easily been into this building, because they had absolutely no control,” Moore said.
Moore said there have been several similar incidents over the years.
“There’s been at least four major issues, and there’s been more that can even count, in terms of tire tracks and the fence being damaged,” he said. “But I’ve had at least four significant issues in terms of cars coming into my property or almost hitting the building here.”
Moore said he has been reaching out to the FDOT for years, seeking a solution to the recurring problem.
“I don’t feel like it’s a matter of if, but a matter of when something catastrophic is going to happen here,” Moore said, emphasizing the risk to clients and their pets.
Longtime client Charlene Parker shared Moore’s concerns as she worried about the potential for animals and people to become injured.
“If the cars come off the interstate and hit the building, somebody’s going to get hurt,” Parker said. “Somebody’s animals are going to get hurt. This seems pretty serious to me, so I don’t know why we can’t have a retaining wall up here.”
In response to the concerns, FDOT released a statement to NewsJAX. It reads:
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) values community input on the safety and efficiency of our transportation system. Before modifying roadways, FDOT conducts safety studies and engineering evaluations to ensure proposed changes do not compromise safety, are cost-effective given our responsibility to manage taxpayer funds and are applied equitably statewide.
As standard procedure, FDOT reviews all reported crashes on state roadways and interstates, with a focus on reducing and preventing fatalities. If improvements can enhance safety, FDOT works to implement them. Questions about crashes and their causation should be directed to law enforcement for appropriate crash reports.
In 2016, FDOT modified the ramp and slope at I-295 and SR 13. The improved ramp slope no longer warranted a guardrail at the location and the guardrail was subsequently removed.
FDOT has collaborated with Scott Mill Animal Hospital to address concerns. In October 2019, following a concern about the roadway, FDOT analyzed the area and installed chevrons and speed warning signs in 2020 to enhance safety. In November 2023, Scott Mill Animal Hospital raised another concern, requesting a guardrail. FDOT conducted a safety study and evaluation of the roadway and ramp, which determined that a guardrail at this location would increase crash risks, thereby reducing overall safety. This finding was communicated to Scott Mill Animal Hospital in early 2024.
On August 28, 2025, FDOT received an additional request for a guardrail at the same location. Consistent with standard practice, FDOT will review the area for potential safety improvements.
FDOT
As the community awaited further action, Moore remained hopeful for a solution that would protect his property and clients.
“I’m hoping for a guardrail,” Moore said. “And that’s really what I feel like would be the most helpful thing to protect the people that are, that are right here.”