Driver Flips Vehicle Off East Kingsfield Road Bridge

April 16, 2017

A driver was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital after running off a bridge Saturday in Cantonment.

In was the third time in less than a year that a driver ran off the East Kingfield Road bridge over Eleven Mile Creek. It appeared the driver lost control of her vehicle, hit a concrete curb and traveled over the bridge guardrail. The vehicle came to rest upside down below the bridge, but not in the creek.

The driver was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to an area hospital.

The accident happened about 6:30 p.m. Multiple stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded, including a special operations rescue team.

The wreck remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details, including the name and condition of the driver, has not been released.

For more photos, click here.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

Comments

36 Responses to “Driver Flips Vehicle Off East Kingsfield Road Bridge”

  1. john on April 20th, 2017 6:28 am

    You can put a ten foot guard rail on that bridge, and I guarantee someone will figure out how to drive over or through it!

  2. Road Scholar on April 19th, 2017 5:50 pm

    Using the reasoning of some readers in reference to the Kingsfield Road and bridge and their “danger,” perhaps most of the two and four lane roads and bridges north of 10 Mile Road should be redesigned. This statement is in reference to all the wrecked vehicles in today’s publication (04/19/17,) as well as in the past articles.

    I have been driving across that Kingsfield bridge for many years, and have never had a problem.

  3. James on April 19th, 2017 2:46 pm

    If these people know it is dangerous then why are they not slowing down to take extra precaution when crossing ? Why are 99% of other drivers getting across without incident? It’s not like a giant pothole grew overnight and caught someone by surprise. SLOW DOWN people if you think it’s dangerous. Turn off the cell phones. Leave the radio dials a lone. And learn you can’t jerk a steering wheel to one direction going 35 mph. Let lone 50 mph.

  4. willy on April 18th, 2017 9:07 pm

    Drove through there today and it was pretty obvious how it happened from the marks on the shoulder and the bridge. Even after a good 1/8 mile of straight road after she came out of a very slight left turn, she left the road on the right shoulder a good 100ft before she slid across the bridge, caught the rail and flipped. It sucks but if she had been attentive to what she was doing better it would not have happened. Cell phone, changing a cd or just a shiny object in the road, she straight up failed to maintain her lane. Not the roads fault, her fault. Ray Charles can see that so stop making excuses for her. Hoping she recovers fully but really folks? Pay attention.

  5. just wonderin on April 18th, 2017 7:21 pm

    I’m sorry I’ve drive this bridge ALOT . Never even came close to wrecking no matter if I was speeding. And my car has never felt pulled off the road or seemed as i lost control for a second. And I mean this is in multiple vehicles to.
    I swear this town gets crazier and crazier. A bridge or roadway does not just pulll you off or make you lose control, your speed, and not paying attention do.
    I flipped my truck on its side a month of so ago in a ditch off jacks branch, the road didn’t make me do it, I did it because I WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND WAS LOOKING DOWN ! Lesson was learned.
    Don’t blame a dang road, admit your faults.
    My parents didn’t baby me they told me how dumb I was and allla that.

  6. That Guy on April 18th, 2017 1:56 pm

    That bridge is on a fairly straight piece of road. Not sure how you veer off that much to flip off?
    Any who I go over this bridge quite a bit and have never had issues.

  7. Bama Girl on April 18th, 2017 7:58 am

    My thoughts & prayers go out to this young lady and her family.

    To the family–I too had a family member involved in a horrific accident several years back. My advice to you, stay off all public forums. You will not like what you read.

    That being said, I too have travelled over this bridge numerous times. I have never found anything about it to be unsafe, if you are paying attention. When driving no matter how safe you are, how safe the roads appear to be, there is always an unforeseen danger awaiting you. Be vigilant, Be prepared, Be safe.

    WE do not know what happened here. This young lady may have had some kind of medical emergency that caused this accident.

    Be nice folks. This young lady no matter the cause, needs our thoughts and prayers.

  8. Jason on April 17th, 2017 11:14 pm

    This bridge is in need of fixing , if you have ever crossed this bridge would agree , the difference in the bridge and the roadway is a good bit it could be widened try riding on a school bus and have a 18 wheeler come on the bridge at the same time pretty scary could use higher guard rails and some lights around there,not hard to lose control of a vehicle on this bridge

  9. Chrstefl on April 17th, 2017 9:46 pm

    “Poor Engineering”?
    The guardrail did not cause the wreck. The driver of the vehicle caused the wreck. I hope for a full recovery. This is what’s wrong with society today. We are very quick to blame something other than ourselves. It was more like poor judgement on the driver. We all need to pay more attention to the roadways when we travel them. There is always an obstacle.

  10. A. Adler on April 17th, 2017 3:06 pm

    These people commenting on who or what is at fault are so uncompassionate, selfish and downright self absorbed. Shame on all of you!!! What if this was your child, your spouse or YOU!!! This is not the place to discuss your opinion of why. This girl almost lost her life? Have you ever felt the pain of losing a loved one? If you have an ounce of compassion in your body then please pray for this child and then address the necessary officials in the proper forums regarding your concerns. If you can not abstain from your negativity at this time, then God help you.

  11. Cindy on April 17th, 2017 1:03 pm

    I drive this route every day going to and from work and have never found it to be unsafe.

  12. K in Cantonment on April 17th, 2017 9:03 am

    Sending my prayers for a speedy recovery. My son was in a terrible accident a few years ago, Thank God he healed. I read some of the most condescending things people put on here so I know how it makes you feel. One day when it happens to them or their child (GOD FORBID), let’s see how quick they are to judge then.
    JUST SAYING

  13. john on April 17th, 2017 6:35 am

    The Old River Road area of Baker Florida, when I was younger those bridges in that area didn’t have a guard rail at all not even a toe board, just a wooden plank barely wide enough for a tractor or pickup to cross, and I never heard of any accidents.

  14. William on April 16th, 2017 7:10 pm

    >>Isn’t that West Kingsfield? I think East Kingsfield is east of Hwy 29.

    No. It’s East Kingsfield.

    The East/West split on Kingsfield is Highway 297A, not 29.

  15. James on April 16th, 2017 6:50 pm

    If locals know it’s a dangerous bridge then why don’t they slow down when crossing it. The State can’t fix people not paying attention to road conditions. Could have easily crossed center line and hit someone head on. Can’t expect State to run concrete barriers continuously down center of two lane roads.

  16. JENNIFER on April 16th, 2017 6:05 pm

    Im sorry the girl in the wreck was is your daughter HOWEVER once you get bebind the wheel whatever goes down till you exit that vehicle is the DRIVERS fault. Not the county.

  17. Ben on April 16th, 2017 5:54 pm

    the county/government can’t fix stupid. glad the subject is ok. it’s your judgment folks, negotiate the road your driving on.

  18. Max on April 16th, 2017 5:51 pm

    Isn’t that West Kingsfield? I think East Kingsfield is east of Hwy 29.

  19. Puddin on April 16th, 2017 4:30 pm

    I hate hate hate that bridge. No reason that I now of. Its just always scared me. Prayers for her quick recovery.

    For those of you piping up about cell phones etc. I almost nailed a guard rail yesterday on a road I travel four times a day, in all weather, day and night. I reached to change a CD and there it was. Everyone is guilty of taking eyes off the road for a second. Don’t judge.

  20. Olin S Schultz on April 16th, 2017 4:00 pm

    I am sending a prayer to all involved. I have read the comments and both sides are right and wrong. My son was involved in an accident on the same bridge as well as one of his team mates from Bellview Ball Park. The teammate did not survive. Accident means just what it says! There are cases where a mechanical failure can render a vehicle unstearable. A blow out for instance. Quit judging and just be thankful this child, who could be anyone”s was not injured worse or killed in this accident.

  21. Nicole Glidden on April 16th, 2017 3:23 pm

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you Meg. Love you bunches and see you soon.

  22. Chris on April 16th, 2017 3:06 pm

    Controls controls controls. Seems like the first control failed…Self control!! Barriers, curbs, speed limits, and retention efforts will all fail or cause greater injury of folks are distracted.

  23. Jasmine Vargas on April 16th, 2017 2:36 pm

    I drive over this bridge every day multiple times a day. And I swear, there is something about the road itself through there that is wrong. Can’t tell you how many times my car almost feels pulled or as if I lose control for a split second through there. And I’m a cautious driver. People need to quit piping up about paying attention, and maybe just pray for her instead.

  24. Susan Langston on April 16th, 2017 1:58 pm

    What is so hard about guiding a car between two lines, IN DAYLIGHT, no less? This is not the fault of “engineering”! It’s like the kid that was driving too fast and recklessly down the hill in the Gabberone subdivision. He lost control and slammed into a brick mailbox. He died. His parents launched a campaign to ban brick mailboxes! REALLY?! It was the mailbox’s fault? If I remember correctly, he was also impaired by some substance.

    Don’t blame people that have nothing to do with it! Blame the people that designed/built the guardrail! You want it built bigger? Stronger? Then hitting the guardrail will be deadly!

    A car doesn’t just spontaneously jump up, flip and fly aver a guardrail! What/who made that happen? Place the blame where it belongs!

  25. conway james on April 16th, 2017 1:25 pm

    It could have been a rare panic attack or being sleep deprived and just dozing off, I have experienced both, I am just blessed enough to have not had an accident, some drivers do play by the rules, sometime bad things happen to good people.

  26. Ensley D on April 16th, 2017 1:14 pm

    Fred…. Amen to that.

  27. Jason on April 16th, 2017 1:08 pm

    Came through there this morning same section of guardrail they just replaced from the last crash. Thousands of vehicles successfully cross that bridge everyday with no issue. It’s not the bridge. It’s the excessive – unsafe – speed some drivers.

    With all the sarcasm I can muster, maybe they should install a traffic light at the bridge that requires all vehicles to come to a complete stop before they can cross the bridge. That should slow folks down. – rolleyes-

    Could a new, more modern bridge with larger travel lanes, with 8 foot shoulders and solid 42″ high sidewalls help keep vehicles from becoming airborne and leaving the roadway? You bet! But, IMHO it won’t prevent unsafe, speeding drivers from crashing at that site.

  28. Jeb on April 16th, 2017 12:59 pm

    Ok I really hope for a speedy recovery for this girl, but everyone stop blaming the bridge. I’ve driven that road for 24 years and not proud of it but in my much younger days have crossed that bridge at extremely high rates of speed. I have never had even a near miss. Don’t waste tax dollars on more barriers for no offense, careless drivers

  29. James Snodgrass on April 16th, 2017 12:32 pm

    What cracks me up is now and days everyone blames cell phones as if accidents can no longer exist. I’d say it sounds like this bridge has proven its self to pretty dangerous. Let’s look at the facts and not speculate.

  30. Karen Snodgrass on April 16th, 2017 12:10 pm

    Merry Lou is a friend of mine, you can keep your condescending comments and false judgments to yourself. You weren’t in that driver’s seat and you clearly should not speculate on the situation. The presumptuous can go look at themselves in the mirror and judge thine own self. I’d say not the best day to be judging anyone, you’re here because someone didn’t judge you! JUST MY 3 CENTS. AMEN!!!!

  31. Fred on April 16th, 2017 8:52 am

    Hope she recovers 100% prayers to both her and her family. Now for the other half. It’s not more signage or higher barriers. It’s paying attention to what your doing.
    You don’t just magically loose control of a vehicle, it doesn’t mysteriously take over and make the decision to run off the road for you. While behind the wheel of a vehicle attention to anything but driving will get you in a bind and do it quickly. I see loads of “drivers” on 29 in the left lane stacking traffic up behind them while they are busy yapping or texting, then act shocked when someone goes around them on the left.
    Put the phone away leave the radio alone and pay attention to what you are doing!
    Just my 2 cents

  32. anne 1of2 on April 16th, 2017 8:24 am

    What good is a concrete curb? All that guard rail does is enable the vehicles to flip. This looks like crummy engineering to me Seems like four feet of concrete would solve the problem, and lives. A lower speed limit sign might help until this can be fixed.

  33. willy on April 16th, 2017 8:12 am

    higher guardrails? How about driving the speed limit and paying attention to where you’re going? It’s NOT the roads fault that people hit that bridge. Hoping she recovers well but think about what you’re doing when you drive. Heads up(not looking at the phone in your crotch) eyes open, hands on the wheel and watch the speed. Pretty easy formula for successful driving.

  34. Merry Lou Newton on April 16th, 2017 7:59 am

    This is what happens with POOR ENGINEERING… THIS IS MY BABY, SHE IS STABLE AT SACRED HEART, SHE WILL HEAL FROM HER SURGERIES AND INJURIES, I AM WONDERING HOW MANY MORE LIVES WILL BE LOSSED OR MAMED BEFORE THE COUNTY FIXES THIS DEATHTRAP BRIDGE!!!

  35. Wylekyote on April 16th, 2017 7:09 am

    How bout poorly installed/designed guard rails ……actually looks akin
    to a ramp. Course the main question is why not paying attention to
    driving ? Distracted ?

  36. mike on April 16th, 2017 4:25 am

    OMG, that poor lady! All hopes to her for a swift & full recovery! Higher guardrails, please! :(