Flagler County is heading into the holiday weekend on edge after two deadly crashes Thursday, just minutes apart, left two people dead and another seriously hurt. One wreck in Palm Coast claimed the life of a pedestrian, while a separate collision on west State Road 100 near Bunnell involving a tractor-trailer and a pickup killed one person and critically injured another. With United Flagler Fourth festivities about to get underway, Sheriff Rick Staly is calling on residents to slow down and use some extra common sense.
Sheriff ramps up patrols
According to News4JAX, Sheriff Staly says the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office will roll out increased visibility and enforcement starting July 3. Deputies will fan out across major roads, waterways, beaches and parks, and will ramp up DUI enforcement throughout the holiday stretch. The effort mirrors the agency’s earlier holiday plans, which call for coordinated traffic and marine patrols aimed at clamping down on aggressive driving and unsafe boating. Deputies will also keep a close eye on seatbelt use and other risky behaviors that tend to spike when the grills and fireworks come out.
Crashes and road closures
The sheriff’s renewed warning came after those two serious crashes within minutes of each other on Thursday: the fatal pedestrian strike in Palm Coast and the tractor-trailer versus pickup wreck on west State Road 100 that left one person dead and another with serious injuries, News4JAX reported. “Let’s work together by not driving distracted and not driving aggressively,” Sheriff Staly said. In the immediate aftermath, crews shut down Pine Lakes Parkway at Wellington Drive and closed SR 100 between County Road 302 and Deen Road while investigators documented the scenes and cleared the debris.
United Flagler events and fireworks
Despite the grim lead-in, United Flagler Fourth celebrations are still moving ahead as scheduled. First Friday in Flagler Beach is set for Friday, July 3, followed by a Stars and Stripes parade along A1A on the morning of July 4, and then the Fireworks Over the Runways show at Flagler Executive Airport, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and fireworks set for 9 p.m. The City of Palm Coast’s event page details how to get into the airport and where to park, and the county’s event listings lay out the full semiquincentennial weekend lineup. Officials are warning that the mix of parades, beach crowds and the airport fireworks display will mean heavy traffic near A1A and SR 100, and they say law enforcement will be out managing parking and crosswalks well into the evening.
How residents can stay safe
State law restricts when consumer fireworks can be used, limiting them to certain designated holidays. Local governments are allowed to be stricter. For the specific holiday exemption, residents can check Florida Statute 791.08. In the lead-up to the Fourth, local guidance notes that municipalities may tighten rules on private fireworks and require permits for public shows, with FlaglerLive and city pages explaining those local limits and permit requirements. The sheriff’s office has also circulated its usual crime-prevention tips, urging people to lock their cars, stash valuables out of sight, secure their homes and watch children closely around water. Extra deputies will be out on both roads and waterways for the holiday period.
If you see something
Authorities say they will share updates as the crash investigations move forward and as holiday conditions change. For emergencies, call 9-1-1. For nonemergency issues, residents can reach the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911.
