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Deputy Collides With Car At Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Intersection
November 9, 2014
There were no injuries when an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy collided with a vehicle Saturday night at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 59-year old Ellen Till of Pace stopped at a stop sign on southbound Highway 97 and then proceeded into the intersection and into the path of a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicle driven deputy George Kichler that was southbound on Highway 29.
The Mercedes rotated about 90 degrees after the crash, coming to rest in the intersection. Kicher’s Tahoe continue 234 feet along Highway 29 before entering the shoulder of the road and traveled another 82 feet before running into a sun hemp field. The Tahoo came to rest another 52 feet into the field.
Till and her passengers, 22-year old Anna Lochas of Pace and 60-year old George Lochas of Pace, were uninjured. Kichler was also uninjured in the crash.
Till was cited for violation of right of way from a stop sign, the FHP said.
Pictured top: This Mercedes pulled into the patch of an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy Saturday night at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino. Pictured inset: The deputy’s vehicle came to rest 52 feet into a sun hemp field. Pictured below: Damage to the deputy’s Tahoe as seen after it was removed from the field. Pictured bottom: The Mercedes came to rest in the intersection. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
27 Responses to “Deputy Collides With Car At Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Intersection”
Lowereing the speed limit near this intersection is an excellent idea BUT it will not keep people from speeding.
Travel Hwy. 97 any time and you will see people driving 70 mph, passing on hills, curves,double yellow lines and with cars coming.
Too many careless drivers on 97. Everday people passing on yellow lines,…a common practice. Too many drivers exceeding the 55 mph, but the biggest problem is passing over yellow lines. Once in a while a law enforcement officer might be on 97. More law enforcement and issuing citations on 97 is needed!!!!!
A traffic signal with “turn left on green arrow only” will be a considerable help. This will eliminate vehicles hovering in the middle of the intersection waiting to cross active traffic.
Post speed limit at 35 MPH and ENFORCE it!! Let it become know as a speed trap that rivals the City of Gulf Breeze.
In the meantime, you could buy a Wrecker and make a good living hauling wrecks away from this intersection alone.
People have been killed at this intersection. A rule I question how many care to know you always drive on the right side. Do not put yourself in a blind spot if you keep your right view clear it will be safer. Leaving this store south bound pay attention the merging lane can be used which yellow line shows where to merge into 29S of course you can’t be lazy it’s best to turn your head a mirror is like trusting the opposite sex.
If all else fails pay for uninsured motorist your gonna need it. The people that caused my wrecks there said they just couldn’t see. Thanks I am still physically hurt and I read of these accidents or ride through that crossroads and thank God he let me live. I cry many days and now.
I do not think that anyone that travels this area thinks that the intersection does not need to be fixed. It is a very poorly designed intersection. Yes, driver error contributes to every crash but to say that nothing should be done to the intersection because people will still crash makes no sense. A decrease to 45 mph approaching the intersection and making the intersection a 90 degree intersection sould greatly improve the ease of navigatinge the intersection. Currently the northbound traffic turning left onto SR 97 has to make a long sweeping turn that many misjudge. The traffic traveling east on SR 97 and turning south onto US 29 has an extreme angle to it. Tom Thumb should have a right turn only on the US 29 side to keep traffic from traveling northeast across US 29 into the intersection. People slowing down and paying attention always sounds good but a well designed intersection can help steer the others in a safer direction.
speed limit has to be 30-35 mph through that intersection, even with a traffic light there will still be wrecks unless speed come’s way down
A red light will not make a difference people will get ran over trying to beat the light
If you cant read a stop sign- busy talking- talking on a cell phone-putting on make up- rubbernecking—do all those distractions disappear with a red light? No, People die at red light intersections every day all over the world. Do people say at the intersections with red lights say when there is a mishap– hey–they need to put in a stop sign. You cant defend poor driving or human nature- a drivers license don’t make you a driver.
Glad no one was hurt
Glad everyone is ok, but if you can’t stop at the stop sign and look and see if it is safe to proceed, then you need to pay more attention to what you are doing or quit driving. I have been through that intersection many times over many years and as long as you stop and look there will be no wreck. There is already a stop sign there, what will happen when the traffic light is put up and people turn right on red to go south when traffic is going south on 29…THE SAME THING BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. People run red lights all day long, can’t wait to hear the reasons once the light is put up and the wrecks continue. it is peoples fault for the wrecks not the intersection.
My 19 year old daughter will soon be driving that route soon and it worries me. I’ve told her to go thru Century and take 29 whenever possible but I still worry!
You’re right guys. We need to rely on people to pay attention like we always have. Dumbest thing I’ve ever read. By that logic we would need to remove any and all lights on the road. While we’re at it, maybe we could remove all the reflectors off the road too. People should just pay attention, right. Get with the times North Escambia. Stop being the cause of you’re own problems by avoiding change.
Well this make two in a row…everyone be careful and take a second look as this is a very busy intersection.
I lived in the north end for 33 years. That intersection had a rap of being bad. Bottom line pay attention look both ways and slow down. Every one is in a hurry these days. All a red light will do is add to red light runners. No matter where they are people will run red lights. SLOW DOWN AND BE A DEFENSIVE DRIVER.
I have drove through this intersection for over 25 years, and guess what? I’ve never had an accident. People just need to pay attention. What happens when they install the red light and accidents still happen? Then what will the answer be? PAY ATTENTION!
>>>There is a light already. It just needs to be changed to active from caution.
NO there is not a stop light at this intersection, yet.
Why don’t we just put a traffic light at every spot where one road meets another. No? Here’s an idea, the people who are driving could start paying attention and wait until the road was clear. Maybe leave earlier so there’s no rush. Again, pay attention to the road! Last, PAY ATTENTION, don’t enter the road when another car is there. It’s not a lack of traffic lights causing car wrecks (most aren’t accidents). It’s the drivers. Accountability and consequences need to be harsher for the people deemed responsible by investigation for bodily injury or property damage caused by a car wreck. We need to stop thinking of these wrecks as accidents because most are 100% preventable.
If you read the other articles there is one that states plans have been in the making for months and a deposit has already been paid to have a traffic light installed.
Light will be installed by end of the year! Read attached article located by the article you read!
http://www.northescambia.com/2014/11/highway-29-highway-97-traffic-light-due-by-years-end
I heard this one from my backyard as I have many more over the past twenty years. I went up there at daylight to look at the intersection. It is obvious from the photos and the the marks left at the scene that the occupants of the Mercedes where very lucky in two areas. They were in a pre Daihmler-Chrysler Mercedes ( = good European safety engineering), and they happened to pull out in front of a trained driver. The deputy did exactly as he was trained by taking evasive action instead of jamming on the brakes and plowing right in. The yaw marks look like this ( in the intersection with impact happening about where the bottom dot is in this (: THe deputy jerked hard left and then hard right to keep from going head on into the north bound lane and then shot off into the field due to the hard right steering. His actions resulted in a clipping action at the front of the car instead of ramming right into the drivers door causing serious injury. This is right in line with what I heard, hard sliding…impact… hard sliding and impact with the ditch. Ellen, Anna and George need to find Deputy Kilcher and give him a big hug.
Drivers must make better decisions. Light or no light; I see red lights being run nearly everyday because of poor decision-making. The accident occurred because Ms. Till made a poor decision. Same thing that happened the day before; poor decision-making.
It’s an old argument, but we know who had the stop sign. If there is a collision at this intersection after the traffic traffic signal is installed, and there are no impartial witnesses, who will admit to having the red light?
They probably wont put a light until there is a death. Unfortunately. Wish they would put a light in it.
Look right, look left, then look right again before proceeding…..
Traffic lights don’t prevent accidents, paying attention while driving prevents accidents.
There is a light already. It just needs to be changed to active from caution.
This has always been a dangerous intersection! 2 wrecks now in 2 days! A redlight needs to be installed!
I think it is time for the traffic light to be installed there
When will they put a ligt there?
Glad no one was hurt this time!