Motorcyclist killed in crash on Blanding Boulevard

Blanding closed in both directions while Jacksonville police investigate

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A motorcyclist was killed in a crash involving another car Tuesday afternoon on the Westside, and speed appears to be a factor, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

It happened at about 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Blanding Boulevard and Sunderland Road, the Sheriff's Office said. The motorcyclist, who was a man, died at the scene. He was wearing a helmet.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the motorcyclist was travling south on Blanding Boulevard at a high rate of speed and crashed into the passenger side of a car that was pulling out from Sunderland Road.

Nora Alexandre works in the area.

"Trying to pull out of here with this curve is very dangerous," Alexandre said. "The high performance bikes are the ones that really come by here fast, but everybody pretty much speeds through here."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida ranks fourth for motorcycle fatalities. Statistics show that in 2017, there were 590 motorcyclists who died in crashes across Florida. In 2016, there were 515 fatalities, and 30 of those fatalities were passengers.

The crash shut down traffic in both directions on Blanding Boulevard between Lake Shore Boulevard and Freemont Street while authorities cleared the scene.


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