JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man said he tried to save the life of a motorcyclist involved in a crash Tuesday night on Beach Boulevard at Spring Glen Road.
Keith Schafrik said he couldn’t sit back until paramedics arrived.
“If it was one of my family members, I would just hope that someone would stop and do the same thing,” Schafrik told News4JAX.
Investigators said the motorcyclist, who was described as a man in his 30s, died. Detectives said the driver of a Honda Accord that was involved in the crash took off from the scene.
“He got hit. We don’t know if he was on the motorcycle or got hit by a vehicle,” one person can be heard saying in a 911 call.
Press the play button below to listen to audio of the 911 calls from the deadly motorcycle crash.
Despite the unfortunate outcome, Schafrik said he did everything he could to try to save the motorcyclist.
He said he was at a nearby gas station when he heard the loud impact of the collision.
“When I finished fueling up, I came around the building and noticed a big crowd of people circling around someone in the middle of the road, and the first thing I thought of was, ‘Someone needs to help him, why isn’t anyone helping him?’” Schafrik recalled.
Another 911 caller told dispatch that there was traffic driving by the motorcyclist.
“They’re trying to go around him. Someone has blocked the middle lane with their car to divert traffic,” the caller can be heard saying.
That caller is referring to Schafrik, who blocked traffic with his truck. He said he jumped out and began performing CPR on the motorcycle driver until paramedics arrived.
“The paramedics, they did everything they took me to the side and did everything that they could do, but ultimately, tragically, there was a life lost,” Schafrik said.
Schafrik said he spoke with the man’s family at the scene.
“I tried to let them know everything that could have been done was done by everybody,” he said. “They were very grateful that he was not alone.”
Schafrik said he does have a medical background. He said he was an explorer with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and was a seasoned lifeguard.
He encourages those who are trained in CPR to always help if they can.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, this marks the 14th motorcycle death this year and the 52nd traffic death.