GAINESVILLE, Fla.-Many people today try to avoid the perilous activity on the interstate but never expect it to happen in an apartment complex. On her way to work Thursday, May 29, Jessica Dunn, a 20-year-old Cabana Beach resident, did not expect her normal routine to come to a halt. Approximately 10 seconds after pulling out of her parking space, a green Dodge RAM 1500 Pick-up smashed into the driver side of her red Chevrolet Blazer. Reckless driving is not only an issue on the interstate but also in most large apartment complexes. Renee Merritt said speeding at Cabana Beach is prohibited. The speeding limit is 15 miles per hour. Forfeiting a resident's lease for speeding only happens after they are issued a seven-day notice for them to talk to management. If the incident occurs again within 12 months, then legally the tenant's lease can be forfeited. "Some people drive way too fast," Renee Merritt, Cabana Beach property manager, said in a phone interview. "It's a community effort, and we want our residents to slow down and be safe— we are definitely adding more speed bumps." The devastating impact, combined with Jessica's natural reaction to swerve out of the pick-up's way, caused the Blazer to flip. Shattered glass coated the intersection. Lucia Montas, a 23-year-old UF graduate student in Spanish, said that reckless driving occurs more in Gainesville because of the large student population. "My friends have gotten into accidents near Butler Plaza and Archer Road," Montas said."Parking is an issue in Gainesville, but I feel safe to drive." Vitul Patel, a 24-year-old UF senior in management, has lived at Gainesville Place for three years. Patel said people go really fast in the roundabout areas of the complex and normally drive in the wrong direction—he said he has also himself. He said people in luxury cars, SUVs and pick-up trucks feel they can break laws and, with their extra height, they feel they are on top of the world. Jessica tried to open the door but she couldn't. It would not budge. She climbed out of the driver side window through the broken glass after turning her car off immediately. "Kids don't know what can happen when they hit someone. I was in shock," Merritt said. "I was happy and surprised to see Jessica was okay." Daniel Martin, 21, was leaving a friend's apartment at Cabana Beach. Martin was driving five miles per hour and noticed the stop sign at the intersection. He said he stopped at the stop sign.
Martin, after his Dodge RAM Pick-up crashed into Jessica's Blazer, immediately turned off his vehicle and proceeded to help Jessica and told her to turn off her car. Stacey Dorsonne, a 19-year-old Cabana Beach resident, heard screeching and the deafening impact. Dorsonne said she yelled to Jessica, "Are you alright?" "Oh my God," Dorsonne said. "I'm calling 9-1-1." The call to 911 was made at 1:44 p.m., Dorsonne said. She was in the living room of her apartment when the accident occurred. Lori Moore, a police service technician at the Gainesville Police Department, was dispatched at 1:48 p.m. and responded at 2:01 p.m. She took notes on the incident from Jessica Dunn, Daniel Martin, and Stacey Dorsonne. Immediately after a tow truck came to remove Jessica's wrecked vehicle. It is unfortunate that an everyday routine to work became a wretched disaster for one girl. While driving, students should always remember to heed their immediate surroundings and abide by state law. | 
