A deadly pre-dawn wreck and a second crash miles away brought traffic to a crawl across Jacksonville’s northside and westside early Saturday, according to city authorities. Multiple stretches of roadway were shut down while emergency crews worked both scenes and investigators began sorting out what happened. Drivers were urged to steer clear of the affected corridors as clean-up and crash reconstruction continued.
According to First Coast News, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said it was responding to two separate traffic crashes that closed roads across the city. The outlet reported that one collision at 103rd Street and Batley Road was later classified as fatal by the Florida Highway Patrol, while a separate crash at Lem Turner Road and Prospect Street drew Jacksonville Fire and Rescue to the scene, with no injuries reported in that incident.
Where the crashes happened
The fatal collision was reported in the 6600 block of 103rd Street at Batley Road, where crews shut down all eastbound lanes so investigators could document the scene and clear the wreckage. On the northside, emergency responders also closed all lanes of Lem Turner Road at Prospect Street while they handled the second crash. Both scenes drew a heavy response from police, firefighters and other first responders, triggering backups and slowdowns on nearby feeder streets.
Official classification and ongoing investigation
As the investigation moved forward, the Florida Highway Patrol formally classified the 103rd Street and Batley Road collision as a fatal crash, according to First Coast News. In cases like this, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol typically lead the reconstruction of fatal crashes, while Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department crews and other first responders focus on securing the area and treating anyone involved. Officials said additional details would be released as they become available…