JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two people died in a crash on Interstate 295 at Old St. Augustine Road early Monday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The car was traveling southbound on I-295 about 4:30 a.m., went off the road, hit a light pole and caught on fire.
Troopers said the two were trapped in the car and died at the scene.
Friends and family of a young Jacksonville man, who was killed during the crash, joined Monday night. Leonard Chandler could hardly keep his composure while speaking about his friend, Mark Schuelke.
"I got a phone call from one of my friends who grew up in a neighborhood and let me know he got killed in an accident," said Chandler.
The second passenger, although Channel 4 has been told the man is a close friend of Schuelke, has not been identified by authorities.
Chandler told Channel 4 that everyone is stunned that the weekend ended on the side of a busy road with few answers about what caused their car to hit a light pole and burst into flames.
"Mark was an awesome guy, good friend, always made you laugh, but it's I've been dealing with a lot of stuff, because I lost another friend in a car accident a couple years ago," said Chandler. "So it's real hard to deal with all this."
Schuelke attended Sandalwood High School. Channel 4 was told the other man killed in the crash had just moved to Jacksonville from out of state.