New traffic signal added at deadly Orange County intersection
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County has installed a new traffic signal at what many call a dangerous intersection, a place where two women and three children lost their lives just last year.
The county started analyzing this area less than 24 hours after that devastating crash. They did everything they could to speed up the process, even building cement poles rather than the traditional metal arms to get lights installed.
"They were mothers, sisters, and children so, of course, this was very devastating news for us," Humberto Castillero, Traffic Engineering Manager for Orange County.
The news of a crash on March 11, 2021, hit the members of Orange County Public Works hard. The loss of five people, including three young children, sparked an investigation by their engineers just hours after the crash. They determined excessive speed as the main cause.
"Because of the conditions and the curve, a signal was warranted, so that’s when we began the design process," Castillero explained.
The Public Works Department sped up the timeline as fast as they could to get a light in place at the intersection of Clarcona Ocoee Road and Gaymar Drive. That devastating crash has the department reanalyzing the entire corridor.
"We will determine specific locations where there might be a need We’re seeing a bunch of crashes and what we can do," Castillero added.
Pastor Anthony Oliver lost his daughters and three grandchildren in the crash that night. Two months later, his wife Shawn, who was driving the car, died from a medical issue.
"My heart is torn in six pieces, so I’m still trying to put the pieces back together," Pastor Oliver said following the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol believes Osbaldo Patino Vazques was behind the wheel of a car going double the speed limit when he T-boned the vehicle in which Oliver’s family was traveling.
The 20-year-old recently made his first appearance facing five counts of vehicular homicide.
"At first, I was ripped apart… throw away the key, but you know, I can hear my oldest daughter’s voice. I just heard her voice say, ‘Ok pastor, you teach forgiveness,’ and so I got home and thought about it and said, 'Yeah, that’s true. I forgive him."
Over the next five to six months, public works will continue to analyze this stretch of road going as far as Ocoee Apopka road all the way to U.S. Highway 441. They will look to see what they can do at other intersections like this one to prevent another fatality before it happens.