POINCIANA, Fla. – Electronic signs have been posted at the intersection where four people were killed in a crash Sunday. Message boards seen in the area Friday warn drivers the intersection of San Miguel Road and Laurel Avenue will become a four-way stop in the next two weeks.
Osceola County released some details on their plans to make the intersection safer Thursday night. In a statement, the county said they would be taking “immediate steps to expedite safety measures in anticipation of installing a four-way stop at the intersection.” They also said residents could expect to see transportation activities intended to support expected safety measures as soon as next week.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, a woman and her three grandchildren were killed when a 15-year-old driver ran a stop sign and collided with the family’s car.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez spoke to News 6 about the measures his office has taken to educate young drivers in Osceola County. His department also installed signs at the intersection where the crash happened Friday to remind drivers to slow down.
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“We have actually conducted over 31,000 traffic stops,” said Lopez. “We really focus on aggressive drivers throughout the county. We’re going to continue. We’ve done a lot of zero tolerances in that area.”
Earlier that morning, Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, hosted a roundtable discussion on transportation where County Commissioner Brandon Arrington spoke for the first time publicly about the crash.
Arrington also used the opportunity to speak about the transportation needs of Poinciana as a whole, including the federal funding needed for a Poinciana Parkway, 429 Expressway, and an I-4 connector project that Arrington said was important for Poinciana and the future growth pattern of the east side of Osceola County.
Michele Torres, who has lived near the corner of San Miguel Road and Laurel Avenue for years, says she feels like leaders are finally paying attention to Poinciana.
“That’s what we needed a long time ago, because as a community collectively that’s how we all feel, like we don’t matter,” said Torres.
Torres was one of the first people who rushed to help at the scene of Sunday’s crash. She has since spoken to the victim’s families and her neighborhood about the need for changes to be made. Torres told News 6 she would like to see speed bumps installed, and maybe a roundabout in the future.
“He would not have hit at a devastating speed where those children didn’t have a chance,” said Torres, referring to the 15-year-old driver troopers say is responsible for the crash.
Torres believes the crash could have been avoided with the proper safety measures. In the aftermath, she hopes her neighborhood will not be forgotten.
“Two weeks from now no one will be talking about this, but our community will still be scarred for life. I know this will affect me for the rest of my life.”
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