‘Ball of sparks’ while car at Dames Point Bridge cares

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – He described it as a ‘ball sparks’.

A Jacksonville city council member was among witnesses to an accident at the Ladies’ Point Bridge over the weekend that sent a car off the bridge.

It ended in a dramatic rescue with firefighters carrying the driver of the St. Johns River to safety.

For City Councilman Al Ferraro and District 2 and his wife, Saturday night was no trip yet.

“Before we got to the bridge, she said, ‘How many people fell off the bridge?’ he remembers. ‘I said she did not have to worry about this. It’s safe. ”

But the conditions at that time were due to heavy rain and heavy fog. Moments later, they saw an accident.

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“We just saw what looks like a ball of sparks going to the side,” Ferraro said. “And it went into the water. We had one of the light poles that ended up in front of our truck. ”

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a high-speed vehicle hit a 27-year-old man’s car from behind, causing the 27-year-old’s car to drive over the edge of the bridge.

According to Ferraro, it appears that the car was lifted over the other vehicle after the collision.

“I’m always worried about the bridge,” he said, noting that he had wasted what was accumulating.

Ferraro called 911, and the Jacksonville sheriff and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department arrived within minutes, resulting in a rescue in which firefighters used a ladder and ropes to fall off and the 27-year-old man to lift and pull him down. the roof of his underwater car.

PHOTO GALLERY: Ladies Point rescue

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“We did not hesitate at all,” JFRD chief Kris Jolly told The Morning Show on Tuesday at 9 p.m. “We just went straight to work, and we knew what we had to do, and luckily everything went as planned.”

“FHP and JSO were already there and they had a throwing rope holding him for us,” said JFRD Capt. Phillip Orelli, the rescuer at the end of the line, said. “We looked at each other and knew what to do.”

Ferraro said the first responders did such a good job, that he would make a decision in the city council to honor them.

The 27-year-old man has not been identified, but News4Jax has contacted the highway patrol for the accident and to see if any complaints are being made against the driver.