ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.: In a distressing incident, a 14-year-old girl heading to Timber Creek High School on her scooter became the latest victim of the perilous intersection at East French Camp Road. The collision, caught on HOA cameras, occurred at the junction of Timber Creek Boulevard and Avalon Park Boulevard, reigniting concerns from locals about the intersection’s notorious reputation for frequent accidents.
The Stockton Police Department reported the incident transpired just before 8:15 a.m. on a Monday morning. The footage revealed the girl maneuvering her scooter into the intersection while a Mazda attempted a left turn. Unaware of the girl in front, the driver accelerated as a gap in traffic appeared. Fortunately, the girl emerged unharmed, and the driver remained at the scene. The crash is currently under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Mrynal D’Arcangelo, HOA president for the neighboring community, expressed frustration, stating, “We’ve had so many accidents occur, so many incidents with a lot of our high school children.” According to county staff, eight other crashes have been documented at the intersection since November 2022, with three occurring in the last few weeks.
Residents, including D’Arcangelo, have been advocating for a traffic light at the intersection. Initial requests were denied, citing insufficient traffic volume. However, the county is now in the process of acquiring the necessary right of way for the signal pole to comply with regulations. Commissioner Maribel Gomez-Cordero has urged expedited installation, but progress is anticipated to conclude by 2025, following land acquisition and the design phase.
Critics, including D’Arcangelo, find the timeline disappointing, asserting that promises were made for a 2024 installation. Urgency is emphasized, with calls for immediate progress, and residents have previously requested a crossing guard or deputy presence during peak school times, particularly in the afternoons, but these requests were denied.
“It’s only a matter of time,” warns Carl Mullers. Timber Creek students express concern about the intersection’s safety, highlighting it as the only crossing where they feel uneasy. They emphasize the need for a traffic light, believing it would significantly enhance safety by creating a necessary break in traffic.
“It will make everything so much easier,” says Elyani Dellolio, echoing the sentiments of students seeking assistance to navigate this hazardous junction.
