The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested a man charged with DUI manslaughter after a crash that killed a teacher and his 1-year-old son on Baymeadows Road.
LFP, 24, turned himself in on Sunday after an investigation.
Detectives said P was driving drunk on May 16, when his car struck Mitchell Patch and his son as they were leaving Wicked Barley.
P was taken to a nearby hospital, where his blood alcohol level was .107, well above the legal limit.
JSO got a warrant for P’s arrest after an investigation with the State Attorney’s Office. Traffic homicide investigations often take time to gather sufficient evidence for an arrest.
The incident has raised concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety in the area. City Councilman Joe Carlucci has been pushing for safety changes.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s evaluation of the Baymeadows Road at Goodby’s Executive Drive (across from Wicked Barley Brewing Company) found that there have been 12 crashes at the location since 2020. Two of the crashes involved pedestrians, along with a bicyclist.
The report recommends that a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalk and refuge island be added in the area.
“FDOT has since developed a candidate project that includes a signalized crossing and a pedestrian refuge island. Due to roadway geometry and safety requirements, the project will require additional right-of-way. Funding for this candidate project is dependent on the City of Jacksonville prioritizing it through the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO),” FDOT told News4JAX today.
We also reached out to a friend of Patch’s wife who has been vocal about the crash and safety changes on the road, and he said he doesn’t have a comment at this time.
We are also waiting for a response from Carlucci.
JSO urged people not to drive impaired and to use a designated driver or a rideshare service.
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Source: news4jax
