Four people were injured in crash Saturday morning.
It happened at Homestead Road and Arthur Avenue around 5:23 a.m.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, a garbage truck and a car were traveling south on Homestead Road, when the truck began to make a left turn.
At the same time, the car attempted to pass the garbage truck. The car slammed into the back of the truck and slid into a boulder.
The car went into Fire Commissioners Cathy Kruse’s front yard.
“There was a lot going on,” said Kruse, “In my mind, I wasn’t sure what was going on, or who was in the car. But I could hear screaming.”
Across the street, neighbor Jackie Smith says the crash woke up her dogs. When she looked out the window, Smith says there was a car on fire.
“I grabbed the phone and I ran out,” Smith said, “My ex-husband and the garbage truck driver were going over to the vehicle to pull the passenger out, because the car was on fire. They got her out and away, and I stayed with her while I was on the phone with 911.”
The car’s bumper was still attached to the back of the garbage truck. Smith says the scene was terrifying, but they stayed focused on rescuing the passenger.
“We got the passenger out,” said Smith, “We didn’t know the driver was still in the car at the time until the Sheriff’s office came.”
Troopers say the driver of the car – identified as 23-year-old Jean Lawson – was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital for serious injuries.
They say 20-year-old Kenya Hughes, 24-year-old Mary Phillips and 31-year-old Tamara Lonjuin were also taken to Lee Memorial Hospital for minor injuries.
The driver of the waste truck was not injured.
Troopers closed the roadway for nearly four hours as they cleaned up the wreckage.
Neighbors say this isn’t the first time they have sent a crash at the intersection.
“It’s a very dangerous intersection, Homestead and Arthur,” said Kruse, “Homestead is very dangerous itself — lots of high-volume traffic.”