We’ve had multiple reports of traffic problems today in West Boca. Earlier today there was a bad accident on the Turnpike that caused serious backups both northbound and southbound near Glades Road. Red lines, from Google Traffic, are bad news.
That appears to have cleared up. Around 1 pm we were notified of a mess at Lyons and Glades Road and we actually saw it as we were leaving Stallone’s. Fortunately for us we were going the other way. That had to do with a traffic light being out.
Just now we heard that 441 is closed near New England Blvd due to another traffic light being out.
And we also heard that the light at Lyons and Yamato may be out. Google Maps shows traffic problems in both of those areas, though fortunately it doesn’t look too bad.
It’s just one of those days.
Tag: yamato
Victim Identified in 441 Crash: Abby Bard
PBSO has identified the individuals involved in last night’s crash on US-441 south of Yamato Road. Abby Bard (63) was driving a Volkswagen Jetta, traveling northbound in the southbound lanes not far from her home in Boca Chase. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
Being involved in a car accident can be a lot for anyone. From minor injuries to serious consequences, this can be life changing in so many ways. If you have recently been involved in a car accident or know someone who has, but are not sure what you should do next, it would be in your best interest to click here and take it from there. With the help of specialist car accident lawyers, no one should feel like they are alone in times like these.
Bard had a history of volunteering at the Tri-County Animal Rescue, as can be seen in the photo below from 2011.
On the dark side, Ms. Bard did have a 2012 arrest for DUI causing injury and served a term of probation as a result of that incident. The report from PBSO does not address toxicology so we can’t know yet if alcohol was a factor in this incident.
The other driver, Daniel Mixa (28, Lake Worth) was seriously injured and taken to Delray Medical Center.
Investigator Klepping of the Vehicle Homicide Unit described the accident as follows in his initial report:
… V1 [Bard] was traveling northbound in the second to the inside travel lane of southbound [441]. V2 [Mixa] was traveling southbound in the second to the inside travel lane … behind another vehicle. The vehicle in front of [Mixa] abruptly veered to the inside lane. [Mixa] was directly in the path of [Bard]. The front of V1 made contact with the front of V2 in a violent head-on collision. Both vehicles came to an immediate stop, rising off the ground and ultimately coming to rest at the point of collision. The operator of V1 was pronounced deceased on the scene by palm Beach County Fire Rescue. D2 was ultimately transported to Delray Medical Center in serious condition.
***** Next of Kin HAS been notified *****
Put another way, it appears that Mixa was behind another vehicle. That vehicle saw Bard coming and swerved to avoid her. Mixa had little or no time to react, and couldn’t see her coming earlier because the vehicle in front of him obscured his view.
Since publishing our story a family member of Bard contacted us and told us that they were not notified of the incident before the PBSO release.
Update from a reader:
I wanted to give you an update regarding your news story on the crash on 441 and New England. I was there and witnessed the entire accident. The gold car was speeding into the oncoming traffic dodging a few cars before he smacked into the young boy’s blue car head on. It was the person in the gold car that was dead on the scene. A cop was on the scene seconds after the crash occurred.
Regardless of the cause of the incident, Ms. Bard’s passing is a loss to her family and friends.
Head-On Crash on 441 – Photos
Update: We have just learned that one of the drivers was dead on the scene: Victim Identified.
***WEST BOCA*** Car Accident — New England Blvd @ State Rd 7/US 441 — E54 onscene of a veh collision w/ heavy damage, Command advising 1 confirmed Signal-7 (DOA) at scene & 1 other patient being treated by Rescue — Tac 4A
Shortly before 10 pm this evening we learned that there had been an accident on 441 near New England Blvd. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue notified followers on Twitter of the incident:
We arrived on scene about 10 minutes later. The accident was on the southbound side of 441, just north of New England and the Boca Greens plaza. A reader tells us he drove past at 9:10 pm and there was a young body on the ground.
Deputies had blocked off 441 southbound at Yamato. As far as we know it’s still blocked as of this writing. PBSO cruisers were still arriving when we left.
We were able to get some photos of the accident scene itself. From a bit further away, looking from south and north:
And some closer shots:
It appeared to this reporter that the vehicle occupants had already been taken to hospitals. No ambulances were at the scene and no one was in the cars. No one other than deputies were nearby.
The vehicle on the right appeared to be a Volkswagen Golf or GTI, facing southbound in the southbound left-hand lane. The vehicle on the left in our photos appears to be a Volkswagen Jetta and was facing northbound in that same lane on the southbound side, suggesting that driver was traveling in the wrong direction. However, accident scenes can be hard to read.
It may not show up on photos but it appeared to this reporter that the vehicles’ cabins remained intact.
Deputy Frey from the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) came over to inquire and politely declined to answer any questions. He’s on the left in the picture below, with New England Blvd. in the background at far left.
Thanks to the Palm Beach County Alerts Facebook page for the update.
Accident at Lyons & Yamato: 4 pm?
A reader sent us a couple photos of an accident at the intersection of Yamato and Lyons. You can see the Whisper Walk sign in the background of the above photo. Deputies and a tow truck were on scene.
— Another reader advises it was at Lyons and Astaire —
For the location, see the map below:
And here’s a photo of the damage to one of the cars:
This was reported to us a little after 4 pm.
Yamato Village Center Sold?
Yamato Village Center was reportedly sold for $6.5 million dollars recently. The plaza is located on the north side of Yamato at Lakeridge, and is best known for Doris Market. The buyer is Boca YVC LLC, a newly formed corporation based in Tamarac and headed up by Michael Janoura of Janoura Realty and Management. We think this is him:
His group purchased it from Dratax, a Pennsylvania corporation.
The property is on the north side of Yamato halfway between 441 and Lyons Road.
This is also a classic example of how some property owners get massive tax breaks. The property appraiser has the 2013 total market value at roughly $3.7M, just over half the sale price. The new 2014 numbers came in since we started writing this article and it’s now up to $3.9M, still far below its actual value. Dratax saved a lot of money at the expense of other taxpayers. We’ll see if the appraiser adjusts the amount for the new owners based on the transaction that just took place.
The transaction was reported by the Sun-Sentinel a few weeks ago. The property appraiser website now confirms the transaction and the deed, prepared by Michael Shapiro of West Boca law firm Shapiro Blasi Wasserman & Gora, P.A., is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bocavillagecenter-deed.pdf”]