The tranquil sunny day in Florida took a dark turn when a man was tragically run over by a Jeep Wrangler while lying on the beach, according to the police.
The incident occurred on the sands of Ormond Beach, just north of Daytona Beach, where a 33-year-old man from Ocala, Florida, was struck by the vehicle on Saturday, April 5, as reported by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office in a social media post.
The victim suffered severe injuries, including a fractured femur, arm fractures, third-degree burns, and a cracked pelvis. Emergency services rushed him to a medical facility where he was listed in stable condition.
The driver, identified as a 61-year-old woman, was attempting to back into a parking spot on the beach and accidentally crossed over travel lines.
Deputies cited her for careless driving, saying that there were no signs of impairment.
“I know it sounds crazy, but throughout this whole time, I was just thanking God that I still had feeling in my extremities,” Janey told FOX 35.
A Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officer repositions some beach traffic safety signs on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 at Andy Romano Beachfront Park in Ormond Beach in Florida. (David TuckerNews-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The local outlet reported that this was not the first incident along the beach. Several people have been seriously injured in vehicle-related accidents on beaches in the region over the past year, including elderly beachgoers and teenagers.
In one case, the outlet said, a Volusia County Beach Patrol sergeant hit two teens lying on Daytona Beach during Memorial Day weekend.
Janey told FOX 35 that the beach does not have clear markings for where drivers are permitted to go.
“There’s nothing that like, tells you, ‘OK this is as far as cars can go, towards the beach,'” he said. “There’s nothing.”
General view of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, during spring break on Saturday, March 16, 2024. (Larry Paci for Fox News Digital)
The driver did not speak publicly, but her husband told FOX 35 the woman is “devastated” and agrees with Janey that better beach demarcation is needed.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
