Police identify Daytona Beach girl, 6, killed in traffic accident on LPGA Boulevard
A tragic accident that resulted in the death of a 6-year-old Daytona Beach girl near a subdivision on LPGA Boulevard occurred at a "dangerous" intersection that should be made safer, according to at least one county official.
The child was identified in a police report Tuesday as Isla Harrell. Daytona Beach police said she died in a crash that occurred at LPGA and Royal County boulevards at 10:39 p.m. on March 28.
The crash occurred near the Lennar at Preserve at LPGA subdivision.
Police said the child was in a vehicle that was traveling westbound on LPGA Boulevard, and while making a left turn onto Royal County Boulevard, an eastbound vehicle crashed into it.
The 6-year-old girl was one of three passengers in the westbound vehicle. All those involved in the crash were transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Isla Harrell died at the hospital, police said.
In a report released Tuesday, police identified the two other people who were with the child as Austin Harrell, 37, and Diane Harrell, 39. The two were identified as her parents in an obituary.
Isla Grace Harrell was born on April 10, 2017, and was "loved beyond measure from the very beginning" by Austin and Diane, it read. "Isla was an affectionate and sensitive child who took every opportunity to express her love to family, with notes, words, or 'huggies.'”
Austin Harrell is listed as the beneficiary of a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by Wendy Maddalone. The GoFundMe was set up to raise $10,000 for the Harrell family but by Wednesday donors had given $41,315 to the fund.
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The accident has left the Volusia County community reeling, said District 4 Councilman and Vice Chairman Troy Kent in a recent Volusia County Council meeting, and called on the county manager and public works director to see what can be done to make the intersection safer.
"I have been to that location in the past and I have pulled out of that location in the past and it's dangerous," Kent said.
A driver identified Tuesday in an incident report as Claudia Cruz, 23, was the only person in the eastbound vehicle, police said.
Kent asked County Manager George Recktenwald and Public Works Director Ben Bartlett to look into the possibility of having a traffic light installed at the intersection.
Kent said he knows the county is in talks with the Florida Department of Transportation that will take over the road but said he wanted to see some traffic safety measures put into place before the transfer.
"If the county can do something before the state takes over that road great, but I want the community to know that this Council, when we find out something, when we hear about something that is unsafe, that we do everything we can in our power to try to change that," Kent said.
Bartlett said he has been made aware of the accident and has asked the county engineer and staff to look into what can be done to make the intersection at LPGA and Royal County boulevards safer for motorists.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida councilman calls for intersection where 6-year-old killed to be made safer
