JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two men died after their motorcycles crashed into each other on Jacksonville’s northside on Sunday evening.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reported that multiple motorcyclists were doing stunts in the parking lot of the warehouse at Cold Storage Road. The two drivers involved drove towards each other and collided, JSO said. They were ejected from their motorcycles and died at the scene.
News4JAX called multiple people that witnessed what happened, but they did not want to talk. However, another rider that was not there said the accident is a heartbreaking situation for anyone that rides a motorcycle.
John Jones has been riding and racing for 40 years. He learned about Sunday’s crash on Monday.
“I was a little hurt because in the community of motorcycles we all join together and do a lot of stuff together. So for me, it kind of hit home,” said John Jones of Performance on Two Wheels.
The accident marks the 46th and 47th traffic fatalities in Duval County this year, and the 10th and 11th motorcycle fatalities this year.
There was a crash in Brentwood, where a woman was traveling northbound on Main Street at a high rate of speed. She got up on the sidewalk, then crashed into a concrete electric pole near the 44th Street intersection. Another crash near Roosevelt Boulevard also led to the death of one motorcyclist.
Jones believes motorcycle crashes would decline if there was an official and legal place for riders to go.
“Right here in Jacksonville, we all know it’s a big city and a lot of people ride a lot of motorcycles. We have a lot of guys that do stunts and drag racing and Harleys and just mingle. And if we had a place we could just go a place like a track and race and fellowship it would be better for the city,” he said.
Despite the crash, people will continue riding their motorcycles, and riders like Jones hope that the riding community can come together to find a way to save fellow riders while still enjoying the thrill they feel from riding.
A helmet was found in the area of Sunday’s crash, but police are still investigating to see if it was being used or if it was just attached to the motorcycle.
JSO says this is an ongoing investigation.