BROOKSVILLE – At least one person was injured in a three vehicle collision, after the driver of a Hernando County pickup truck stopped to help a turtle cross the street.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Jacqueline Road and Mariner Blvd just before noon today, where a pickup truck stopped in the eastbound lanes to move a turtle out of the road. That’s when a car rear ended a trailer attached to the truck and another vehicle rear ended the second car.
Fire Rescue pulled an injured man from one of the vehicles who may have suffered a head injury as a result of the crash. His condition is unknown at this time.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
The Turtle was not injured, according to officials.
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Hope the injured driver will be ok.
Okay I understand that it is illegal to runover and kill the turtles, but really is it really worth risking your life to rescue a turtle, I mean if anything pull off to the side of the road and then try to move the turtle, but don’t play chicken and risk your life for a turtle. Just saying………..
Well if those in the back were paying attention and actually driving they would have stopped…..ten to one they were both on their phones.
Yes, I always stop to help the turtles cross or wait in the car so they can finishing crossing. After you’ve seen the sick people who swerve to hit them, I always stop.
The only way this accident happened was from people not paying attention. Hitting a stopped car, even in an active lane, is on the fault of the driver.
I Agree 100% People should be paying attention to their driving and NOT Tail Gating but lots of people are just to stupid to understand that.
I don’t care if I’m on the middle of 19 im stopping to move a turtle. My vehicle has insurance. That turtles life is more important.
What a dumb thing to say you have insurance. You could get killed or hurt someone else because you stop to pick up a damn turtle. Give up your license before we read about you on here.
Such a stupid comment, you’ll be on here soon enough causing an accident that kills a busload full of children all for a turtle.
Pretty Dumb to say, I like turtles myself and I don’t want to see them killed but risking your life or the life of others makes no sense.
The cars should of been able to stop. The speed limit is 35 on Jacqueline. Don’t ride the dudes ass next time!
Exactly, stop for them, people should be more considerate and careful and watch what there doing when driving and they would have seen the truck stopped if they were driving correctly. Go guy picking turtle up and taking that time out of your day.
Not for nothing … but it’s illegal to handle a gofer turtle unless certified… lets not quibble about what kind of turtle it was, 99.999% of them on or along side of our roadways are gofers… some of the comments lead me to think some commentors are certifiable…
this is just another typical example of how many assholes who don’t pay attention are driving. They were probably texting….. the cops should check the phones!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t drive so fast and be on a phone !!! And tailgate
Yep - following too close and/or not paying attention. Get off the phones while you’re driving. What if that was a child in the road?
Simple, do something different, PAY ATTENTION to your driving, remember it was in the book you were suppose to have read. Too many jerks doing everything but paying attention. I have noticed how many of law enforcement are doing the same thing, eating, cell phone, in car computer and just plain distraction. Some one rides my ***, I hit the brakes, they hit me - law suit on them, it works
Case of not paying attention AGAIN
Don’t blame the turtle or the driver that stopped. Blame those who were not attending to their responsibility to safe driving. Safe speed, safe distance, full attention = less accidents.
I love animals. I have a degree in zoology. But before I jam on my brakes to avoid an animal, I check to make sure no one is following me too closely. Regardless of fault, I’m not going to do anything to injure a human if I can avoid it. I love animals, but I love humans, even foolish ones texting, or not paying attention, more.
I don’t care why the vehicle is stopped you rear end it you are the fool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What crappy journalism….I highly doubt that Fire-Rescue “Pulled an injured man from one of the vehicles”
I’m sorry that you were unable to understand the word usage “Bernie”
“Tom” Just protecting the reputations of the highly skilled Fire-Rescue professionals. Back in the 60-70’s, many patients were PULLED from motor vehicle accidents, resulting in further injuries. Perhaps if you had better understanding, you would have used proper terminology such as “extricated” from the vehicle.
I almost always use the term “extricate” if you have read my previous report. The reason I didn’t use it this time is because you basically assisted the injured person out of the vehicle. You did not have to cut the roof away or take extraordinary measures to remove the patient.
I’m really not sure why some firefighters seem to have disdain for RNRF or our reporting of accidents. We are huge supporters of all first responders and have nothing but the greatest respect for the job you do. I actually take personal offense when I am attacked over the improper use of fire rescue terminology, when I have always been respectful to fire rescue and have never written a negative article. As a matter of fact, I’ve written several articles defending first responders when people attack you.
Maybe you can help explain the angst that some firefighters have towards RNRF. If there is anything I can do to help prove my alliance with first responders I will certainly take steps to do so.
I have several firefighters and law enforcement officers who appreciate what I do and they even ask if I would provide photos of them in action. I do that all the time and I don’t ask for a penny in return.
Please help me better understand..
Respectfully,
Tom Lemons
Tom: just my opinion, but I always found it highly annoying that in the midst of serious incidents, some person always preferred to take pictures of others misery. You have no clue the stress placed on first responders and since you have no training in that area you really can’t understand what it is like. I never cared a bit about “action photos” of myself and find that highly egotistical.
And each is entitled to their opinion.
Stay safe and whether you appreciate what I do or not, I will always support what you do.
Omgosh turtles dogs you liberals care more about animal then human life but its ok to kill a baby smh. Where’s food for thought sure he has a story to share..have a great day
It is also ILLEGAL to move the turtle people!!! Just saying
Prayers to the tortoise.
If you run into someone you are NOT paying attention I don’t care what the car in front of you is doing stopping, slowing whatever.. If you are too close that’s also your fault. Turtle or not and you hit someone it’s your fault.
To Law Enforcement… I have seen many police move turtles also.
Well Mr. LEO, it is not illegal to move the tortoise off the road, it is illegal to relocate them. Smdh, some of you LEO’s think you know everything. Read up on FWC site.
On the Road
Vehicle-caused mortality is a large contributor to gopher tortoise deaths. Often, tortoises burrow and forage for food near roads because roadsides are open and sunny. Here are things that you can do to help reduce road mortality:
Observe speed limits and wildlife crossing signs
Remember gopher tortoise activity is highest in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
When driving, scan the road and shoulder ahead. Gopher tortoises are slow moving, so allow them time to cross the road.
If you would like to make your neighborhood a more tortoise-friendly community, crossing signs can be ordered from: wildcotton.com External Website
Do not remove the gopher tortoise from the area
You may help the tortoise cross the road by placing it out of harm’s way in the same direction that it was going, but DO NOT take it with you or move it to a different area.Do not put your life in danger to move the tortoise.
To the others, people neex to pay attention and stop tailgating. Enough with wrecklessness.
The gopher tortoise is an endangered species but if you call the Florida Wildlife Commission, they tell you it is NOT against the law to move them to safety and it is helpful and recommended, but that is ALL you can do. You cannot disturb them in any other way. It is unfortunate there was an accident and people were injured but you must maintain control of your vehicle and that includes not hitting someone in front of you. Pay attention and stay alert.
Perhaps just slow down, turn on your hazards, flash your lights and wave your hand out the window to get the attention of other drivers then go around it. But for the love of God do not stop your car in the middle of the road and get out to move that thing on any road. Your risking the safety of yourself and everyone else. Atleast you can say you tried to help the turtle.
“Just sayin” turtles are not endangered they are protected. Very different thing. They are protected because they dig holes that other animals and critters use as homes too. Again, they are not endangered. And if you stop in front of my car and “endanger” my kids, they’ll be hell to pay. Just sayin
Lunch time. U stop in the middle of the road on jacqu for a turtle. Ur a doof a fool n a dummy. Don’t do it again.
I pretty much agree with most of these comments, but if you look closely, the 3rd car has a Sr citizen (elderly lady) in it. I don’t know if she was the driver or the passenger of that car. But we all need to remember that Sr’s have a much slower ‘reaction time’ cognitively speaking. They’re not always as alert as the rest of us and in how this happened SO quickly, I can certainly understand how they may not have noticed in time to stop. Don’t know about car #2….
turtle lives matter….
all joking aside though that larger vehicle takes longer to stop so the vehicles behind it were either following too close or not paying attention or easily both. When driving, drive a safe distance behind the vehicle in front and always stay focused and defensive. We have all seen the drivers on the daily where their eyes are everywhere but on the road ahead of them.
That truck driver is an idiot. You never just stop in the middle of the road for no reason. Always pull to the side. A person’s life is more important than helping a turtle or any animal for that matter.
just as long as the turtle is ok they are not as easy to replace
At least the Turtle and the driver who stopped is OK, Good for him for trying. The other two blind people can’t tell me if they were paying attention that they could not see a car stopped on a 35MPH road.
How many times have I gently moved Mr. Tortoise, to safety, only to have said tortoise turn around and cross the road again? But I still do it.
Not endangered. Protected.
So did the turtle make it accross ok?
Hey as long as the turtle is okay
You can not just stop in the middle of the road when ever you want you are obstructing the flow of traffic im sure if a deputy does it he has his lights activated
Ok I enjoy reading some of these posts and some of these posts were ridiculous. I was one involved in this accident. I’m also featured in a picture. I will always save a turtles life especially when it was a baby turtle. This article is also incorrect. Leave it to the media to get shit wrong. I’m not surprised though. What really happened was we slowed as we saw the turtle and threw our hazards on. The car across had stopped as well as the car behind us. An elderly lady came flying over the hill and smashed into the car behind us thus sandwiching that car between us and her. The speed limit is 35 and there was no way she was going that speed. Yall have a nice day. #turtlelivesmatter
I’m just here for the comments lol
Do alligator, leatherback snapping turtles lives matter? Dont see you turtle lovers picking them up twice
Gopher tortoises are a threatened wildlife species and are protected by state law, Chapter 68A-27, Florida Administrative Code. Gopher tortoises must be relocated before any land clearing or development takes place, and property owners must obtain permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before they can move them. For more information about permitting guidelines or the laws protecting gopher tortoises please contact the gopher tortoise biologist in your region.
Rules and regulations are in place to benefit both the species and the people. We’ve included rules that relate to the gopher tortoise along with brief descriptions of those rules.
Rule 68A-27.003: The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is hereby declared to be threatened, and shall be afforded the protective provisions specified in this paragraph. No person shall take, attempt to take, pursue, hunt, harass, capture, possess, sell or transport any gopher tortoise or parts thereof or their eggs, or molest, damage, or destroy gopher tortoise burrows, except as authorized by Commission permit or when complying with Commission approved guidelines for specific actions which may impact gopher tortoises and their burrows. A gopher tortoise burrow is a tunnel with a cross-section that closely approximates the shape of a gopher tortoise. Permits will be issued based upon whether issuance would further management plan goals and objectives.
LMAO isn’t it terrible, that was my first thought “how is the turtle,🐢 did he get squashed?”
Such a sweet gesture to stop to save the turtle, this man is my hero and I hope he is not one that is injured. I hope the others are charged with “Watch where the F*#k your going.”Hernando County is not the place to stop and help anyone, people here hit bikers and leave them on the side of roads, hit and runs occur frequently. We should have turtle crossings under the roadways lol.🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢
Thanks for the laugh Tom, nice way to begin the day😊
Just letting all of you know. The turtle is doing great! Little baby turtle. I do have pictures on my phone!
I’m sure some redneck is pissed…that could’ve been his meal along with that fresh road killed squirrel…yeeee haaaaaw..!!!!!!…