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Palm Bay residents raise concerns about ‘dangerous' road

PALM BAY, Fla. — Residents in a Palm Bay neighborhood are raising concerns about a stretch of road on which an 18-year-old recently lost his life in a rollover crash.

The area in question is on Eldron Boulevard, southeast of Barcelona Road, in Palm Bay.

Residents told Channel 9's Len Kiese that the road slightly curves and with a little bit of speed, drivers can easily lose control.

Kaeryn Strickland was a passenger in a car when it crashed on July 7.

“He had a very bright future ahead of him,” said his mother, Ketha Girley-Chalk. "I'm still in shock as a mother, but I know he's in a better place right now."

Another driver was killed in February along the same stretch of road.

Read:Car left a mangled wreck after smashing into Palm Bay home

Palm Bay police said there have been about half-dozen crashes in the last year, and half of them have been in the same vicinity.

There is a sign along the road that warns of the curve, but Girley-Chalk said more needs to be done.

"Let them know what's ahead of them,” Girley-Chalk said.

As she plans her son's funeral, she said she hopes other families can avoid a similar story.

"When I finally saw my child's body yesterday for the first time, it really kicked in that my child is gone. My baby is gone,” Girley-Chalk said.

Three others, including a 16-year-old, were injured in the crash. Police said the crash is still under investigation.

An official with the city of Palm Bay said the city is looking into the residents’ concerns and we’ll keep Eyewitness News posted.

Len Kiese

Len Kiese

I am extremely excited to call Central Florida home.