2 killed in crash with garbage truck on Philips Hwy.

Wreck closes Philips Hwy. from Cypress Plaza to Baymeadows Way for hours

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two men died before dawn Friday when a garbage truck attempted to make a left turn from the right-hand lane of Philips Highway and drove into the path of the victims' SUV.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the Mack truck turned into the paved median at 4:42 a.m. Troopers said the driver, 47-year-old Al Law, said he didn't see there was an SUV in the left-hand southbound lane before making the left-hand turn.

The Kia Sadona struck the Advanced Disposal truck and overturned. The FHP report says driver Wade Jenkins, 33, and Eric Acy, 25, both of Jacksonville, died at the scene.

The driver of the garbage truck was not injured, but the FHP report says charges against him are pending.

At dawn, the SUV remained flipped over in the median of Philips Highway and firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to get to the victims out.

Police closed all northbound and southbound lanes of Philips Highway from Cypress Plaza to Baymeadows Way while the accident was investigated and cleared. The highway was not completely reopened until 8:30 a.m.

A woman who showed up at the crash scene told Channel 4 that the SUV belonged to her and was being driven by her fiance. She said Friday was Jenkins' birthday and he was returning home with a friend from another friend's house.

The woman said Jenkins was also the father of her unborn child.