A crash on San Carlos Boulevard near Siesta Drive sent two construction workers into the mangroves Thursday afternoon. The Fort Myers Beach Fire Department said both workers were rushed to the hospital as trauma alerts. The driver involved in the crash was also taken to the hospital.
The accident occurred just a couple of yards away from a Lee County Schools bus stop, prompting concern from a local mother who wants the location changed.
"There's a curve right behind me, and it's a 45 mile per hour speed limit here, but I think cars definitely go 60-70 through here. It's really hard to even see this turn," said Kacie.
Alanna Osborne, the owner of Beach Pottery right across from the bus stop, referred to the location as "dead man's curve" due to the number of accidents that have occurred there. Osborne watched the crash on Thursday.
"He crossed over the center lane and just plowed right into the workers working on the side of the road here," said Osborne.
Ashley, manager of Kava Kulture across the street, also described the crash's impact.
"A construction worker that was working, and the car just didn't make the turn and plowed into that human being, and that human went flying into the mangroves," said Ashley.
On Friday, the Lee County Sheriff's Office reported that the two construction workers had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Kacie, the concerned mother of a Tanglewood Elementary student, just happened to be at the busy intersection taking photos to support her request for a safer bus stop location when she found the scene of the crash on Thursday.
"I just came out here, actually, to start collecting evidence, to show how unsafe this is, and this is what I pull up to," said Kacie.
About 50 yards away from the crash site is where her son, Kyler, waits for his bus. A memorial also marks this spot as the site of another fatal crash.
"There was actually a lady who got hit and killed here some time ago, and she was actually from my hometown before I lived here, and so I was able to kind of see when I returned home, the damage that that did to our community," recalled Ashley.
Kacie has reached out to the district several times, requesting that the bus stop be moved onto Siesta Drive, a quiet neighborhood road.
"I've been pleading with them. All I'm asking is for them to do the bus stop right at the end over here, a little bit into the neighborhood, so that he's not right here on this dangerous curve. And they say no," said Kacie.
So WINK News reached out to the Lee County school district about the bus stop.
"Every bus stop that is approved for use is safe and verified according to Florida Department of Education standards," said Rob Spicker, spokesperson for Lee County Schools, in a statement. "Safety is our number one priority. We have reviewed the site in question three times and conducted a hazardous walking review, and confirmed the stop meets or exceeds Federal, State, and School District policies."
After Thursday's crash, Kacie and local businesses believe this response is unacceptable.
"I've asked a couple times for those requirements," said Kacie. "They won't give them to me, so I'm not sure if I believe that it meets them. But regardless, even if it does meet them, I think that what happened yesterday, kind of shows, even if they say it's safe, there is a safer option. So why do we not do that?"
Kacie has started an appeal and requested a hearing to change the location of her son's bus stop.
The owner of Beach Pottery and the manager of Kava Kulture across the street also want to see change, suggesting a new stoplight for the busy intersection and better lighting at night.