ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County traffic engineers have installed, and powered on, a new traffic signal at the intersection of Clarcona Ocoee Road and Gaymar Drive.
News 6 has been following the safety improvements made there after five people were killed in a crash there in March of 2021.
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“In one car accident, two generations gone,” said Anthony Oliver.
Anthony Oliver returned to the intersection Wednesday to see the newest safety improvements for the first time. Oliver, a pastor and father, says both of his daughters and three grandchildren were killed in a crash there.
“What if?” said Oliver. “What if the county would have just came and done something? It took me losing my whole family for them to come here and make changes.”
The Florida Highway Patrol say the family was traveling westbound on Clarcona Ocoee Road on March 11, 2021, when the driver attempted to make a left turn onto Gaymar Drive. The crash report says a speeding SUV hit the side of their car.
Both vehicles were overturned, and five people in the Hyundai were ejected, according to investigators. All five were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the FHP report.
The driver of the SUV, Osbaldo Patino-Vasquez, entered a written plea of not guilty in March 2022. He is facing five counts of vehicular homicide according to court records.
“This is a blindside,” said Oliver. “You really can’t see around the curve. It’s a dangerous curve.”
Orange County Public Works promised changes would come to the intersection, following a study that was completed at the site after the deadly crash.
The county has installed traffic poles and powered a new signal. There are also electronic speed signs in place and markings on the pavement, reminding drivers of the 45mph speed limit on Clarcona Ocoee Road.
Here’s a full list of the improvements the county is making at that intersection:
- Used internal resources to design and install the signal to expedite the process and save almost 12 months in design and construction
- Installed pavement markings showing speed limit and speed feedback signs approaching the intersection
- Proceeded the coordination with underground and overhead utilities to clear foundation and overhead conflicts
- To date concrete strain poles and foundations, underground wire and conduits have been installed
- Span wire connections, signal and pedestrian indications, ADA ramps and crosswalks will be completed in late March
- Power and signal turn on in mid-April.
The county has additional study underway that could result in more changes.
They have initiated an access and speed management study along Clarcona-Ocoee Rd, between Ocoee-Apopka Rd and US 441 to determine additional safety and speed reduction measures that could be implemented corridor wise.