Click Orlando reports on a Deltona high school student who was killed in a 3-vehicle accident outside the school. The accident happened at about 6:50 a.m. in front of Pine Ridge High School.
Volusia County Sheriff Deputies say that 15-year-old Joshua Durner was driving a 2006 Hyundai Elantra eastbound on Howland Boulevard. He then attempted to turn left into the school’s entrance and made the turn into the path of a westbound Nissan Pathfinder. The Pathfinder hit the Nissan head on and another vehicle that was traveling behind the Pathfinder was unable to stop in time to avoid the accident.
Durner was killed at the scene. According to deputies, he was not wearing a seatbelt.
The two children who were passengers in the Pathfinder did not suffer from any injuries. However, the driver and the front seat passenger both suffered from non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the 3rd vehicle was taken to the hospital for treatment of a back injury.
Authorities believe that Durner was running late and missed his usual ride to school. He took the Elantra to drive to school without his parent’s knowledge. Chris Anderson, who has children who attend the school, said that the road outside the school is notorious for speeding.
Most states have enacted special laws regarding the speed limits in school zones. Typically, this is between 15 to 25 mph. These laws were placed into effect because there is often a lot of pedestrian and bus activity in school zones. Students should be able to walk to and from classes and school without fear of speeding motorists. In many cases, the fines for speeding in a school zone are greatly increased over speeding fines in other areas. Always take care and slow down in school zones.