UPDATE: Sandalwood senior tweeted about car safety hours before death
A teen has died after being injured in a multi-car crash that closed St. Johns Bluff at Beach Blvd on Thursday morning, police said. The teen has been identified as Denny Grahovic.
Three people were taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries caused by a violent crash at one of Jacksonville's busiest intersections.
UPDATE: Red-light violations common at 'high frequency crash area' where teen was killed
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said a Nissan minivan ran a red light at a "high rate of speed" and slammed into a white Honda Accord. Those two vehicles were then hit by a Lexus and a large tanker truck.
JSO said the driver of the Nissan, a 39-year-old female, was transported to the hospital in life-threatening condition. Denny Grahovic, 18, who was driving the Honda and his 16-year-old female passenger were also transported in life-threatening condition.
Grahovic has since died, JSO said. We're told the teen was a Sandalwood High School student. Sandalwood plans to have psychologists on hand Friday morning to help classmates deal with the loss.
PHOTO GALLERY: Crash at Beach Blvd. and St. Johns Bluff
"[The Nissan] jumped the curb and hit the Honda that was sitting at the red light," said JSO Sgt. Don Washington. "It pushed the Honda into the next lane. As the vehicle separated, they both were struck by the tanker truck."
Linda Arrington's car was hit in the crash.
“I thought, my car is going to be totaled,” Arrington told Action News Jax. She was in one of three vehicles traveling on Beach Blvd. that was hit when the white SUV ran the red light on St. Johns Bluff Rd.
According to Arrington, she and the driver of the tanker weren’t hurt.
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Arrington has a message for that driver, who ran the red light: “You need to pay attention when you’re on the road. This could have potentially killed all of the people including myself. It’s frightening.”
According to JSO's traffic homicide unit, drugs and alcohol were not involved. The investigation is ongoing.