SARASOTA, Fla. -- The death of two teenage boys on the way to Homecoming has Manatee County commissioners asking the state for more Florida Highway Patrol personnel.
They say extra troopers are needed on State Road 65 and State Road 70 east of I-75.
The father of one of those teens who say the county shoulders responsibility too.
“His brother and sister lost their big brother and they lost their trailblazer,” says Dan Powers, Matthew Powers’ father.
Powers is fighting to make sure another family doesn’t experience the same loss. His 15-year-old son Matthew and a friend were killed Sept. 15 turning left onto Pope Road from State Road 64. They were headed to Homecoming at Lakewood Ranch High School.
Weeks later, FDOT deemed that intersection dangerous and closed the turn lane, but Powers says that’s just a patch on the problem.
“This whole area is growing faster than the infrastructure can support," Powers said. "The county keeps approving more housing putting more people on the road, putting more people at risk and saying oh FHP you’re not protecting the people we’re putting at risk."
Powers says speeding and lack of visibility are still a problem. He says any left turn on State Road 64 is dangerous.
“If cars are in the turn lane or doing a U-turn the car turning north cannot see … the same condition existed there at Pope and State Road 64,” says Powers.
While the state is planning several roundabouts along State Road 64 to help slow down traffic, those are years away.
Powers agrees with commissioners more troopers are needed.
Fund FHP so they can go out and enforce the laws protecting the people of the state," he said.
Local FHP representatives are in Tallahassee trying to find ways to make the roads safer
In a statement released today FHP Lt. Gregory Bueno says,
“It is the mission of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) to proactively protect the motorists traveling throughout the state while also being highly visible and upholding the agency values of Courtesy, Service and Protection. FHP and many other law enforcement agencies throughout Florida are dedicated to reducing the number of motor vehicle crashes and the associated loss of life and property due to unsafe driving behaviors on our highways. FHP troopers and our fellow law enforcement partners are committed to traffic safety and will continue to enforce speeding and aggressive driving along with other Florida laws. Although troopers enforce the laws of Florida and may issue citations that include a fine, it is also our mission to educate motorists in every interaction to encourage a positive change in driving behavior.”
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