Woman Critically Injured When She Crashes Into ECUA Garbage Truck

November 17, 2020

FOR AN UPDATE TO THIS STORY, CLICK HERE.

An adult female was critically injured when she rear-ended a stopped garbage truck Tuesday morning.

The crash happened on Highway 29 near Archer Road. The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority truck was stopped in the outside lane of Highway 29 to pick up a garbage can when the woman crashed into the rear of the truck.

The woman was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to an area hospital. No one on the ECUA truck was reported to be injured.

Northbound Highway 29 was closed by the wreck.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.

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

Comments

33 Responses to “Woman Critically Injured When She Crashes Into ECUA Garbage Truck”

  1. Friend on November 18th, 2020 1:06 pm

    Unless you were there you have no idea what happened… if the shoe was on the other foot and you had to read what this family has had to read you too would be upset. Think before you type, seriously. & I suggest you all take your own advice behind the wheel or while on the roads..

    My heart is breaking for this family, I pray for comfort.. She was a beautiful soul with two little boys that have to grow up without her. I wish this was a bad dream.

  2. Vp79 on November 18th, 2020 10:56 am

    So sad. Prayers for families and all affected.

  3. Dakota on November 18th, 2020 10:28 am

    y’all are so disrespectful and rude? this is someone’s family member what if it was yours? would you be saying pesky green garbage truck? 2/3 drivers on their phones? no one knows what happened and it’s very rude to assume and really just blatantly terrible

  4. Sandra Kent on November 18th, 2020 9:36 am

    What happened to doing what works. Pray for her.

  5. Ira Jones on November 18th, 2020 9:25 am

    Some of you on here are so petty. It’s actually disgusting how some of y’all couldn’t care less that someone lost their life. Accidents happen, not one of you on have any right to pass judgement.

  6. Stumpknocker on November 18th, 2020 6:03 am

    @ William Harris, it’s not 55mph where this occurred, it’s 45mph. Nothing negative about driver accidents happen. But stop blaming everything but the driver, obviously it’s her fault for what ever reason, only she knows that. The truck is huge and is marked with all kind of lights to be seen. Just remove for a minute that the truck was picking up trash and was broke down, or even you broke down, the accident would have still occurred because of some sort of driver error whatever it was. People here are say speeding, no of us know if that was a factor at all or cell phone, could have been a medical situation.

  7. William Harris on November 18th, 2020 1:08 am

    They need to widen the shoulders of the road, especially on a 4 lane highway where the garage truck can pull completely off the road, it seems kinda ridiculous for the truck to have to stop in a busy major highway with a 55 MPH speed limit for a frickin garage can

  8. Stumpknocker on November 17th, 2020 10:38 pm

    More law enforcement? I guess law enforcement should have seen this driver speeding stopped her and wrote her a ticket, or maybe poor drivers that make poor decisions should have excuses made for them, remember what we permit, we promote!!!!! Very simple.

  9. Jetta on November 17th, 2020 10:24 pm

    It doesn’t matter what happened. Yes people should stay off their phones and pay attention, but non of us were there. We don’t know what happened. Ya’ll can just assume. Accents happen every day and non of us are perfect. But I saw a woman today at my work get a phone call that something terrible happened and I watched her break down. A family is heartbroken and all y’all seem to be able to do is blame this poor lady. This world lacks so much compassion. Please have this family in you’re prayers. This section of highway is very dangerous. Please everyone be careful out there.

  10. StraightShooter on November 17th, 2020 9:31 pm

    @Richard R Harris It took a while but now it is Law Enforcements fault according to
    @Questions. I am truly sorry for the person involved. But accidents happen to all of us when we don’t pay attention to what we are doing.

  11. Lee on November 17th, 2020 9:23 pm

    Sending much love and prayers to the family.

  12. Realistic on November 17th, 2020 9:23 pm

    Their needs to be more of a law enforcement presence on 29. This is the 3rd fatality since Friday. 1 pedestrian and 2 involving garbage trucks. This is extremely dangerous we have driver’s exceeding the speed limits ,texting and driving aggressive. The driver’s have gone unchecked since Covid-19 and it has gotten worse. My husband leaves at 5.30 am and he has stated it’s like driving in Chicago were no one cares and expects others to watch out for them.
    It is tragic that it takes the loss of life to discuss this issue. But 3 deaths let’s not allow them to be in vain. Let’s get law enforcement to do their job and regain control of this highway before we lose another life.

  13. D.Norris on November 17th, 2020 9:12 pm

    I know this family, they are good people. Soo sorry for your loss. Praying for all the family..

  14. Adam on November 17th, 2020 8:58 pm

    Prayers for the driver and her family also prayers for the ECUA driver that may not have been physically injured but mentally is a totally different thing. Prayers for all involved.

  15. Suzie B on November 17th, 2020 8:58 pm

    Alice Gunn – Sending prayers for you and all family members in the loss of your granddaughter. So very sorry.

  16. Dianne Page on November 17th, 2020 8:07 pm

    all of you are jerks I know her mother this is the second child she has lost. Pray its not any of your children. Never seen so many disrespectful adults. Pray for her children. Pray for her family. Keep your smart comments to urself

  17. Alice gunn on November 17th, 2020 7:42 pm

    who says she was using her. Yall dont even know. She is my grandaughter
    And to all the ones yhat are guesing she may not had. It could have been just an accident so give her mom and family a break if you wasn’t ther and didn’t see what
    Happen. She was a good mom and left a 11 and 7 yr old boys. When you comment please get facts.
    One broken grandma

  18. Questions on November 17th, 2020 7:41 pm

    Where are the troopers and Sheriffs at to slow these drivers down. Where are they when these driver’s swerve and look like drunk driver’s. We need to slow these driver’s down. We need law enforcement.

  19. Kevin Enfinger on November 17th, 2020 7:22 pm

    Alot of heartless people here posting comments on what may or may have not happened. Its noones place to judge what happened. Especially with the way the world is today. Noone has compassion anymore for other humans. No respect for the face this persons family. Kids. Dad. Cousins. Ect. are on here seeing some of these ridiculous comments. People wanna know whats wrong in the world today? For those that posted nasty comments. Start by looking in the mirror. Prayers for the family.

  20. citizen on November 17th, 2020 7:13 pm

    steve u would probaly not be so sarcastic if it was one of your people u care about so be nice or dont comment

  21. Skipper on November 17th, 2020 7:10 pm

    I find myself constantly checking my rear view for distracted drivers rushing up behind me. This has really become a normal thing to do and give myself plenty of room to slowly move up, if needed.
    I do pray this woman will make it through for her family. I do also pray she’ll pay attention in the future to driving, instead of whatever distracted her from the rather large garbage truck. What an awful way to learn.

  22. Paul on November 17th, 2020 6:53 pm

    The truck was stopped there long enough to have the claws on the can, On a clear day distraction would be my first guess, I’ve had friends who died from getting hit by people on phones. I sure wish it would be put on the same level as DUI and maybe they would pay more attention. Until then this will be par for the course.

  23. Steve on November 17th, 2020 6:19 pm

    Pretty obvious what happened. The garbage truck was sitting still picking up the garbage can (see its still in the graspers hand) and the car driver was not paying attention and ran into it. BUT it might have been the garbage truck speeding backwards with a can it picked up miles earlier.
    Its simple pay attention to your driving and you see A LOT more stuff that just a tiny bit of defensive driving would avoid huge headaches later.

  24. Charlotte Rebecca Bates on November 17th, 2020 5:26 pm

    Praying for a recovery, and praying for the family. This has got to be scary for them. And please people, stop with the assumption that she did this, or was doing that. YOU DON’T KNOW. Have some compassion for this family and send some prayers for their loved ones.

  25. fisherman on November 17th, 2020 4:19 pm

    @Family
    I hope and pray that your family member makes a full recovery. My best advice for you and your family is stay away from the comments section as individuals posting on here can be cruel. Remember that there are a lot of people praying for your family during this tragedy keep your faith in God.

  26. Eyes wide open on November 17th, 2020 4:18 pm

    Ahhhhhh….. Those BIG GREEN garbage trucks…. pesky things. They just seem to stop in the darn’est places.

  27. Family on November 17th, 2020 2:44 pm

    I know what everyone on here thinks and I could care less cause this is my family… I know what happen and was told by multiple witness what happen but all I care about it that she make back to her kids and her mom and dad (who have already lost a child)….

  28. Citizen on November 17th, 2020 12:29 pm

    It’s terrible and I pray that she’s ok.

    I see 2 out of every 3 drivers staring at their cell phones while driving, and you do too!
    But surely “distracted driving” was not the cause??

    It will not stop unless our newly elected sheriff makes it a priority and starts actively pursuing and ticketing drivers who are on their cell phones.
    Until that day, everyone on the road is in more danger than they otherwise would be.

  29. concerned cw on November 17th, 2020 11:39 am

    Prayers for this family and for those administering care. Thank you to those who helped at the site. Prayers also for the other(s) in the ECUA truck.

  30. Jason on November 17th, 2020 11:38 am

    Prayers for the family. I dont see how someone can run into the back of someone. Happening alot lately. Its so sad that people just cant pay attention

  31. Chris on November 17th, 2020 11:37 am

    @Richerd R Harris

    Someone will definitely blame this on the lack of sidewalks.

  32. Richard R Harris on November 17th, 2020 11:06 am

    I guess someone will call for a change to the intersection. or a traffic light. People put your cell phones down. you have one job and one job only when drive a vehicle. pay attention to whats in front of you at all times. use your mirrors. and turn signals,
    And I pray she’s OK.

  33. Jdub on November 17th, 2020 11:00 am

    Wow! Prayers she is okay and will recover swiftly. Situational awareness all around yourself at all times is so important.