BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — A recent string of deadly crashes began Friday night on Highway 231, just north of Fountain.
“We had a head-on fatal, wrong-way driver which led to that driver passing as well as the other driver, passenger and young passenger in the backseat passing away,” Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Jason King said.
The two passengers that survived are in serious and critical conditions.
Tuesday night a car hit a pedestrian walking on Highway 20 in Ebro.
He died on the scene.
Then, Wednesday troopers responded to a fatal wreck on State Road 77.
A 20-year-old trailer truck driver made a u-turn in front of an on-coming car.
The driver of the car, 50-year old businesswoman named Kristi Kirkland, was killed.
“It was an older trailer, a dark trailer,” King said. “It did have the proper reflective marking down the side. It may or may not have had the actual marker lighting on the side.”
King said investigators are trying to determine if the lights were attached prior to the crash and if they were functioning.
“We do think the trailer was a large part of the contributing factor to the end result,” King said.
For those who lose a loved one in these types of accidents, Florida Highway Patrol has a Victim’s Advocate.
In Panama City, it’s Stephanie Holbrook.
She’ll reach out to the next of kin and provide them with the information and resources they might need.
“It is difficult for these families so having that person to rely on for monetary needs, for shelter, for counseling services, mental health, and to help these guys out better do their job,” Holbrook said.
King is advising drivers to stay laser-focused and safe.
