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Florida teen hospitalized with broken back after Palm Bay crash
A Florida teenager is recovering from a broken back after an alleged reckless driver lost control and plowed into her family's vehicle near St. Johns Heritage Parkway last weekend.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida teenager is recovering from a broken back after an alleged reckless driver lost control and plowed into her family's vehicle in Brevard County last weekend.
Mom, 18-year-old daughter hurt in crash in Palm Bay
What we know:
Christina Jeffrey said she was driving with her youngest daughter off St. Johns Heritage Parkway at Pace when a black truck fishtailed, lost control and crashed into them last Saturday.
The impact crushed their car and destroyed a nearby fence, leaving 18-year-old Brianna Jeffrey in the hospital with a broken back and emergency stomach surgery.
Surgeons installed eight screws and two rods in Brianna's back to stabilize the fracture, but her family expects her to move out of the ICU soon.
Driver cited for reckless driving
Palm Bay police officers cited the driver who caused the violent collision for reckless driving, according to a spokesperson.
Residents, parents pushing for traffic upgrades
Local perspective:
Jeffrey said she and other parents have pushed Palm Bay officials to make changes to St. Johns Heritage Parkway for years, citing the recent opening of neighborhoods and businesses, leading to an increase in traffic.
What they're saying:
"She's 18 years old. She's so young and she's got her whole life ahead of her," Jeffrey said. "They just keep adding more homes and more businesses and the road just can't handle the traffic and the population coming to this area."
What we don't know:
Police did not name the driver who was cited. No criminal charges have been filed.
What's next:
Brianna and her mom both have a long road to recovery and will be out of work for an extended period of time. The family is fundraising to keep up with expenses following the crash. You can read more about that here.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from victim Christina Jeffrey, who shared details about her daughter's medical recovery and local traffic concerns, as well as the Palm Bay Police Department. FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower reported from the intersection of Pace and St. Johns Heritage Parkway.