Neighbors say traffic light needed at North Jacksonville intersection where toddler died in crash

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Michael Sherman came back to the very spot where his 1-year-old nephew Dean Wyers was killed in a crash Thursday.

“Of course, we come up here to give our condolences, because this is where it happened," Sherman said. "Great, full of energy, little boy, all boy. Good kid, really good kid, always smiling.”

The Florida Highway Patrol said Dean's mother, Kristi Tucker, was the driver and may not have had the right of way when she turned left on North Main Street, hitting a Ford Explorer. Little Dean was thrown out of the vehicle and died at the scene.

“I instantly didn’t believe it,” Sherman said.

Action News Jax did some digging and uncovered there have been nine crashes in the area in the last five years.

Six of those crashes happened at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Clark Road. While there were injuries in the crashes during this time frame, Dean is the first one to be killed.

Drivers pass through the U.S. 17 and Clark Road intersection every day.

Tim Nolan, who lives close by, and has witnesses his share of crashes over the years.

“It’s a racetrack here. No one knows the speed limit. I said, somebody just got killed and there it was,” Nolan said.

Meanwhile Nolan said the intersection needs more than just a stop sign.

“They need  a stop light,” Nolan said.

A Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson said the roadway meets current design standards and as of now, there are no plans to install a traffic light.

Cox Media Group