- April 25, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Jirawadi Marie Battenhouse, a 19-year-old resident of Flagler Beach, died May 27 after a car crash on Interstate 95 in Flagler County.
Battenhouse was driving south in a Lexus ES300 at about 12:20 a.m. when the car, "for reasons still under investigation," entered the emergency lane and struck a guardrail, then re-entered the southbound lanes and came to rest facing southeast, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.
Battenhouse's Lexus was then struck by an Acura TLX driven by 45-year-old Lake City resident Stephanie Finnell, who later told investigators that she hadn't seen the Lexus.
Battenhouse was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach in critical condition, and later died of her injuries. Finnell was taken to Halifax by ambulance for minor injuries.
Battenhouse "was an avid photographer, musician, and curator of art, but most importantly a selfless daughter and sister," a GoFundMe page set up by Battenhouse's sister Caroline Battehouse and mother Sue Soinak stated.
The GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/jirawadi-maries-funeral-fund, created to raise money for Battenhouse's funeral expenses, raised $11,020 in its first day. Its goal had been $5,000.
