HAMILTON COUNTY, Fla. – After living on the corner of 24th Avenue for 37 years, James Gurganus says he didn’t even look before dialing 911.
“I heard a really loud crash and I knew what happened,” says Gurganus.
Authorities say 18-year-old Andrew Sanders lost control and wrecked the ATV he was driving. The crash killed 18-year-old Hailie Ruvolo, who was riding on the back.
Reports say neither Sanders nor Ruvolo were wearing a helmet.
“She stopped taking breaths just before the ambulance got here,” adds Garganus, who tried to help the two teenagers.
He says you can see where the four wheeler tore through his barbed wire fence, after missing the turn and hitting the light pole.
It’s the same fence that used to be chain, but that too, has been torn down by one of the countless wrecks to happen.
“I’ve been looking for it,” says Gurganus. “Me and my brother have said someone’s going to end up dying right here on this curb.”
Residents on the public road say they’re upset, and can think of all the ways it could’ve been prevented.
“Life was lost and maybe if there was a curb sign or something that said dangerous curve ahead, they would’ve been paying more attention,” says Marva Anderson, a nearby resident.
“They need signs, so they can see at night, because they run four wheelers all during the night on the weekends,” adds Garganus.
They say the tragic accident is a sign that things need to change.
