Windermere residents say speeding is a constant problem after troopers say teen crashes into tree

Windermere residents say speeding a problem

A car full of young people crashed into a street in a Windermere community after neighbors say the driver was being reckless. Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) are now investigating, and say the driver was only 15.

WINDERMERE, Fla. - Clarification: On Tuesday, a spokesperson for FHP clarified to FOX 35 that the driver was 16, not 15, as initially reported by a trooper on scene. FHP also clarified that the teen driver was cited for several violations, and that the driver's father was not cited.

This happened in the same spot FOX 35 News has reported on over the past year, where neighbors have complained about speeding teenagers. An orange Mustang convertible was stuck on a median, with a tree lodged in its front end and its airbags out.

"I saw two bloody teenaged girls in bathing suits," said Kat Thomas, who lives nearby. "One had a streak of blood down her face and a big bruise. The other one had scratches."

Witnesses said the sports car full of teens was speeding around the traffic circle, leaving tire marks before it crashed.

"They were speeding, this way," said Zouhir Bida while pointing to the road. "You see the tire scratches over there. I think they were trying to do like a donut, and they lost control."

Paramedics showed up to check on the people in the crash. It was about an hour before a state topper arrived. The trooper told FOX 35 the 15-year-old driver had a learner's permit, but no license, insurance, or registration. The teen was given a careless driving ticket, and her father received a ticket for letting her drive.

"It was just a matter of time," said Holly Marino, another neighbor. "It’s just a matter of time. I’ve even called the police, the non-emergency numbers, and I said to them, my fear is somebody is going to die. I am so glad that when I came around the corner that no one was on the ground."

Several times over the past year, neighbors have sent FOX 35 videos and pictures of cars they say were speeding or doing donuts in the same spot. People living in the community are fed up and say it's been happening regularly for several years.

"Nothing is ever done about it," Thomas said. "And it’s unfortunate that I’ve been screaming from the mountain tops that this is what’s going to happen if they don’t do something, and here we are today, it’s happening."

Neighbors said they'd like to see more patrols in the area and cameras to catch speeders.