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Update: Teen Passes Away From Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Crash Injuries
November 12, 2014
[Updated 11/12/14 2:50 p.m.] A Northview High School student has passed away as the result of injuries she received in a two vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino Friday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Wednesday afternoon Darion T. Riley, age 16 of Molino, passed away Tuesday afternoon at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola0
The FHP said 16-year old Brayden Hubbard of Atmore pulled his 2011 Hyundai Sonata out of the parking lot of the Tom Thumb and into the median of the intersection. His view of northbound traffic was blocked by traffic stopped in the northbound turn lane of Highway 29, the FHP said. He then attempted to accelerate across the northbound lanes, but his vehicle was struck on the passenger side by a northbound 2012 Ford F250 driven by 51-year old Jeffery L. Nolen of Century.
The force of the impact pushed the Sonata onto the shoulder of Highway 29, with the pickup coming to rest against the passenger side of the car.
Riley, the front seat passenger, was trapped in the Sonata following the crash. Firefighters used a fire engine to pull the pickup away from the car, and then used the Jaws of Life to remove the car’s doors in order to free Riley.
Riley was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola in critical condition where she later succumbed to her injuries, Hubbard was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition and has since been released from the hospital.
Nolen and his passenger, 9-year old Ryder Nolen of Century, were transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital and have both been released.
Troopers said alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
Any charges in the crash are pending investigation, the FHP said.
Funeral services for Darion Taylor Riley will be held Saturday at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment. Visitation will be held from noon until 2 p.m., and the funeral service will follow at 2 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
58 Responses to “Update: Teen Passes Away From Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Crash Injuries”
Very sad.
My heart and prayers go out to the Riley family..May God give you peace in your time of pain…
Sad sad all these folks fighting over a light or round about ….A child has lost there life so young…pray pray pray
David hue u gave me chills. U r so right about the care part
I’m with you Chris Maloney…..an overpass would be ideal. I truly don’t believe a traffic light would help that far out. Prayers for the family and friends of the deceased.
How about an overpass for the hwy 29 traffic similar to the one at hwy 29 & 9 mile? Seems like that would eliminate many of the problems at the intersection.
RIP.
Prayers for EVERYONE involved.
I slow to 45 MPH at about 200 yards out as I approach that intersection, when driving highway 29.
Reducing speed of motion allows for greater latitude in people’s reaction time and observation ability.
Slow down.
Donations of blood are being accepted at any local blood bank. It doesn’t matter what type blood. They can trade for her blood type at other blood banks. Just make sure to let the blood bank you go to know why you are donating & give them her name.
You dont need a round-about or traffic lights there, what we need that’s gonna work is an over pass with entrance and exit ramps. We have waaay to many traffic lights,and all they cause is congestion. They key is you have to keep traffic moving.
My prayers go out to them kids.
a redlight won’t help…it is a highway people! you’re gonna have to be smart, pay attention and WAIT TO GO!!!
Tammy, Darion and y’all are in our prayers! We love yall and if y’all need anything Dave has our number!! Hoping and praying for the best!!
Ms Tammy is my coworker and a great friend She is going through so much right now and needs all the prayers she can get Instead of everybody arguing everybody should be sending their prayers to Ms Tammy and Darian
OMG this terrible accident happened yesterday and I go through the intersection this evening and yet another accident happened. While the light won’t stop all accidents from happening, it will stop some of the problems. My prayers go out to the injured and the families involved.
OMG!! Just looking at the photos sends a chill down my spine. I don’t see how these kids even survived this crash. My heart and prayers go out to all that are involved, especially the families, and more especially the ones that are in the hospital. If I had “O” blood, I would donate in a heart beat. I agree that something does need to be done at that intersection. So please everyone, be extra watchful and be safe. God Bless.
THEY NEED TO PUT UP A DURN STOP LIGHT! This intersection has been the host of FAR TOO MANY accidents!
A round-about…are you kidding me?….going from almost interstate speed to a round-about is a joke. They work at 20 to 30 mph not at 55.
First of all, prayers for the families.
Secondly, we do need to come up with a solution that reduces accidents. They will never be totally eliminated because all of us will make mistakes at times. Sometimes results are minor, sometimes they cost a life.
I think a round-about works well in many situations, but I do not think it would work well at this intersection due to the volume of traffic on 29. I agree that the 29 entrances to Tom Thumb should be moved further South and no U-turn signs installed at intersection.
Also dedicated U-turn lanes away from the intersection could help. Make everyone turn right on 29 then loop back 1/4 mile down the highway.
I think an overpass on 97 over 29 would be best but would be too costly.
Let’s stop preaching and calling names and come up with a better solution. I hope our representatives are listening.
Darion Is a family friend and Brayden is my sisters
Boyfriend. Brayden got to go home today darion
Is still at the hospital. Prayers go out to them
Both.
Yes blood O negative still needed
I have to agree, a round-a-bout would be perfect idea. The purpose of these measures are to keep traffic flowing, if you use them correctly. You have to use your turn signals (something most people don’t do), and allow the people in the round-a-bout to have the right-of-way. There are many more congested places in the world than Molino, FL…and they work.
I watched four vehicles run a red light from full stop the other day at Blue Angel and Dogtrack. They had a green arrow for left turn but not for straight ahead. The driver they cut in front of was paying attention and nobody was injured. Considering the time of day, the setting sun had probably made the light hard to see and the last three just went when the first went.
Lights help, but you have to see and obey them and understand that not all will. As was said earlier, IF YOU CAN’T SEE, DON’T GO. Then people won’t have to suffer and worry following your collision.
And, yes I care about those injured this time and next time and the next time, as do those others discussing how to make driving there safer. It is because of care, not apathy. If you think the Lord has to hear a certain number of prayers before He cares, you are praying to the wrong one.
David for healthy children and Jeffrey Nolen
Prayers for everyone involved! If anyone knows an update on Darion’s condition, or if blood donations are still needed, please post! Prayers for healing!!!
Henry, yes! A round-a-bout would be perfect! I’ve driven through many and they work to perfection.
A roundabout??? Folks can barely drive good an a straight road. A roundabout would confuse and kill folks.
Yes, it can be a dangerous intersection… this is already known!
Prayers out to those hurt. Any word to how Darion is doing?
Stop complaing about what we should and start praying for these families. This is rediculous.
Donate ASAP to the teen. She lost 70% of blood. O negative. Darion Riley at Sacred Heart .
I don’t think the problem is needing a traffic light. The problem is that people cant drive or don’t have enough common sense. I have crossed that intersection in a car, truck, 18 wheeler and a motorcycle and have never even come close to being hit. You need to put your cell phones down turn off your radio and PAY ATTENTION to what you are doing and you will have no problem crossing that area.
Getting a drivers license is to easy. Getting a license should be just like getting a CDL. You should have to go to school, take test and be examined by a state examiner.
Thank you mnom you correct I could not believe all the people saying a light would not help. You are the exact kind of people I see and talk to every day and wounder how you even dressed your self commonsense sound be a supper power today. Please tell me how putting a light there and giving people the right of way will not save lives. Maybe some of you that think the light is a wast of time can get together and take turns direct traffic there Yep that’s the answer why didn’t y’all think and you can do it for free
The biggest problem, which creates the most accidents, is that people in the Pensacola/Escambia County area do not know or follow the rules of the road. They don’t know how to do median turns so as to not block the view. They don’t come to complete stops before turning right, they turn into the wrong lanes, they don’t signal, they don’t stop when the light turns orange. Those drivers that stop the flow of traffic to allow someone to pull out and cross over 2-4 lanes of traffic (usually they can’t see what is coming down the lane they want to cross over and get t-boned) need to stop doing this. You give yourself a pat on the back and feel good for a few minutes but you have in fact jeopardized others lives. Stop doing this. Let the flow of traffic move and those coming from side roads will be ale to see and pull out at the opportune time. Traffic lights cannot fix carelessness and poor judgment. Get out the drivers handbook and learn the rules.
Our prayers go to these people who were hurt at this intersection.
Time after time this has happened and a light is supposed to be erected here BUT when that may actually occur is anyones guess.
In order for it to work the entrance to Crabtree Church Road will have to be moved further from the intersection and Hwy 29 median going north will have to be extended to prevent people from turning into and out of Tom Thumb.
Praying no one is killed before this intersection is FIXED.
OMG…..everyone is so busy complaining! Instead of posting your arguments how about prayers for all involved that were hurt!
Say a prayer for Darion and her family and the other young person driving and their family!!! Say a prayer for Mr. Nolan and his young passenger.
God be with all involved!
Instead of a light, what about installing a Round-a-bout?
They need to put a light there. Its a very bad intersection. Several wrecks have happened there. I’ve almost been hit because people don’t stop at the stop sign. Its dangerous.
It should be obvious to just about everyone by now that we definitely need a traffic light here. How many people have to get killed or injured here before one is put up? What is needed to get the light..a petition?? And whoever designed the turn lanes on 97 into the Tom Thumb must have been drunk cause there is no left turn lane into the Tom Thumb or Crabtree Church Road if your headed up 97 towards Atmore. Tom Thumb gets lots of business since it and the Dollar General are the only sources of a grocery store here and it’s the only gas station…the amount of traffic here should qualify for a light….and drivers would get use to it.
Everyone of you saying a red light there is not needed is a MORON. No if’s and’s or but’s. There are blind spots in that intersection that need addressing, plus the fact a simpler way to allow the heavy morning and after work traffic to move through that intersection with a minimized risk or “just punching it across 29″ when you don’t know if there’s a car coming or not due to not being able to see. If there’s a chance you must do that at an intersection something it wrong with that, period. I have lived here for 45 years and have seen my fair share of wrecks and deaths at that intersection. It’s all senseless wrecks that could have been avoided WITH A RED LIGHT.
First and most important is prayers for all involved in this accident. I live here in Molino also and have seen a lot of wrecks at this intersection. But I do not think putting a traffic light at Hwy 29 and Hwy 97 is the answer. I feel that if FDOT would make all traffic leaving Tom Thumb to travel South on Hwy 29. A U-turn at Bet Raines Rd would give you only the north bound traffic and corner of Bet Raines Rd to watch for. A little bit out of your way may save a life. But still LOOK, LOOK and LOOK again.
You can’t blame every wreck at this intersection on a light not being there. A driver makes their own decision regardless. A light will help though no doubt.
i drove a wrecker off and on for 30 years. If you can’t see , don’t go !!!!
To the injured families, our prayers and thoughts are with you and your love ones as they need time to heal and get better. We went by as the fire department was finishing up and although I know there were injured, my praise it no one was Killed because this intersection has taken many many lives.
Yes, they are in the planning stages of putting a red light at this intersection. Understanding there are gonna be traffic accidents, a red light will at least slow down 29 traffic and manage whom is needing to go and whom should stop….if the red light saves one live than it will be worth putting up.
Sorry this happened. Hope all are ok. Remember only folks can prevent wrecks, not lights , moving stores, closing lanes. People cause wrecks. Only people can prevent accidents.
Prayers to everyone involved.
I absolutely agree that a Red light should be placed at the intersection. There have been to many accidents. It may not stop an accident from ever happening again but I bet we’d see a major reduction in the number of them.
Close all the front entrances to Tom thumb make everyone inter and exit the store off of Crabtree church rd. Oh and while I’m on here…….I’m a school bus driver and has anyone notice how many people run the STOP sign coming south from hwy. 97 onto hwy. 29??? Be careful and slow down here and at Molino rd. Cross rd. Pray before you get on the road and pray for this family
They need a light put up there. How many people have to get hurt before that is done. People just need to pay attention. Hope all involved will be ok. Partners are with all families involved. People need to quite blaming the Tom Thumb. We need to take responsibility for something once in awhile.
The red light will help but only because it should put an end to people pulling in and out of the TT from the north bound side of 29. I would guess that half the wrecks there are from that alone. They’re going to have to design this intersection to be similar to Muscogee & 29 with the Raceway.
People get in such a hurry now days and that’s why accidents like this happen..It’s always safer to TAKE THE EXTRA TIME and make sure its clear to go..We can’t control the way others drive but we can take the necessary steps to keep ourselves safer!!!!!! Slow down and pay attention!! Praying for all involved!
NEED TO CLOSE TOM THUMB EXIT. I WAS HIT BY A LADY PULLING OUT FROM THERE A FEW YEARS AGO. I DONT WANT TO SEE A RED LIGHT IN OUR LITTLE TOWN, BUT IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO HELP KEEP OUR RESIDENTS AND PASSERSBY SAFE AT THIS INTERSECTION. HOPE EVERYONE RECOVERS QUICKLY.
Jane, you are correct that something must be done with the 29 and 97 intersection. Tom Thumb (based in Crestview, by the way) MUST take some responsibility by acquiring property and moving their US 29 entrance well south. FDOT and Escambia County need to force Tom Thumb’s hand. A traffic signal alone will not solve the design problem. As former, I’m calling Tom Thumb’s office in Crestview to press the above change, and will make no purchases at any of their stores until they take some responsibility for the safety of ingress and egress design flaws at this store.
Hope everyone will be alright , if I had my wish that Thom Thumb store would be closed down and moved away from that intersection.. Nothing but wrecks since it was put there !!
Just because a red light is put up, doesn’t mean there won’t be anymore wrecks. Wrecks happen all the time at traffic lights. Like Molinoman said, “TAKE YOUR TIME” not just at this intersection, but everywhere you drive. The report says the driver’s view of northbound traffic was blocked, he should’ve never even attempted to go. Thank God no one was killed!! People need to pay attention while they are driving, notjust at this intersection, but everywhere. I almost got hit on Hood Drive Sunday, because and old man didn’t think he needed to stop at the stop sign coming out of Wal-Mart, and he cussed me out for not stopping for him, I had the right of way.
I agree with Jane …I travel that way all the time and it just gets too conjested right there. There have been several times I have to avoid and accident
Trust me a red light will help. I was sitting at the intersection when the wreck happened there was so much congestion. There were so many cars sitting in the intersection itself there’s no way possible for you to see clearly. not only were there cars sitting in the intersection there were cars lined up down 97 there were cars lined across the 29
Extremely dangerous intersection. like mm said. LOOK, LOOK, LOOK
Jane a redlight isnt going to fix the problem driving more safely will if you haven’t noticed there is a hill and on foggy mornings it will be a matter of time before a log truck slams into somebody best thing to do is TAKE YOUR TIME! look look and look again dont take chances
How many people have to be injured or killed at this intersection before something is done? It needs to be redesigned and a traffic signal installed. There is at least one bad accident every week here. And driving more safely will help but it won’t stop people from speeding down 29 or the fact that you have to look 5 ways at once and it only takes split second for something to go wrong.