Could a mailbox prevent death?

By: Alexandra Hackett

Apollo Beach, Florida – Ray Romer’s daughter was critically injured in a crash in Apollo Beach last week. Her friend died in that crash. He’s the first to admit his daughter is at fault for the accident but he believes something as simple as a mailbox would’ve prevented the passenger’s death.

He drove up and down Apollo Beach Blvd. Thursday urging residents to change their mailboxes.

His daughter, 21-year old Brittany Romer crashed her BMW here last week. When it hit an illegally constructed concrete mailbox, Jay says the impact is what took the life of her friend in the passenger seat, 20-year old Rachel Morris.

"The only reason that the car went out of control and flipped over causing her death is because the homeowner wanting to improve the aesthetic appeals to their house," he said.

Romer filled his pickup truck with new mailboxes. Half of them were donated by Lowe’s. He had identified 16-homes with illegally constructed mailboxes and offered to give homeowners in the area brand-new free “break-away” mailboxes.

He doesn't know if anyone on this road will install the breakaway mailboxes, but he hopes it sends a message.

"My daughter will have to live the rest of her life dealing with the death of her friend as well as Rachel’s parents are having to deal with this tragedy," Romer said.