JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Residents in Argyle are expressing frustration and sadness after a motorcycle crash claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl. The accident occurred on Argyle Forest Boulevard near the entrance to the Spencers Trace subdivision on Tuesday.
RELATED: Motorcyclist killed after crash involving pickup truck on Argyle Forest Boulevard
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According to authorities, a pickup truck attempting to exit the quiet Spencers Trace subdivision around 6 p.m. collided with a motorcycle traveling along the busy roadway.
A leather motorcycle jacket now marks the site where the crash occurred.
Chrissy Witman, who lives nearby, is all too familiar with the dangers of this intersection.
“My husband’s actually been hit here before in a hit-and-run,” Witman said. She described the fatal crash as sad, but not surprising, adding, “I told my husband last night they need to put a traffic light here.”
Residents say the mix of high speeds and heavy traffic makes the road hazardous. Cars entering and leaving Spencers Trace Drive often face long waits in the middle turn lane as traffic barrels past.
Local voices online echo the community’s concerns. The News4ClayCounty Facebook group lit up with comments after the crash.
“Not safe,” one user posted.
Another wrote, “The state or county has a sign up saying, ‘High crash area.’”
News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney explained that serious crashes often prompt state or local agencies to investigate roadway safety.
“When fatalities happen, traffic studies are conducted in conjunction with the sheriff’s office, police departments, and DOT [Department of Transportation],” Hackney said. “They evaluate the roadway—whether the speed is too high, or if there’s something inherently wrong with it.”
In the short term, authorities could increase enforcement or set up speed traps. However, making lasting improvements, like adding traffic lights or redesigning intersections, can be a lengthy process.
For now, the community is left waiting for solutions while dealing with the unrelenting speed of traffic near their quiet neighborhood.
While the identity of the motorcyclist has yet to be revealed, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the crash marked the 138th traffic fatality in Duval County and the 25th involving a motorcyclist.
The driver of the pickup truck remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, JSO said. There were no signs of impairment and investigators will be evaluating if speed was a factor.