LEROY, N.Y. (WKBW) — A quiet rural intersection in LeRoy is the center of a new push for safety changes after a crash claimed the lives of two Floridians Friday morning.
The Genesee County Sheriff's Office said it happened around 6:20 a.m. at the intersection of West Bergen and Griswold Roads, an area that neighbors and officials said has been dangerous.
According to officials, 20-year-old Brianna Welsh of Apopka, Florida, was driving on Griswold Road and failed to stop at a stop sign. Her car crashed into a dump truck on West Bergen Road. Welsh and her passenger, 20-year-old Mallen Mello, also of Florida, both died at the scene.
WATCH: Two killed in Town of LeRoy crash
For residents nearby, this crash was heartbreaking, but not surprising.
"It's quite common on this corner," said Les Hungerford, one resident.
"Honestly, this is like the fifth or sixth accident that's occurred here and the second serious one," said Hungerford's grandson, David Gracie. "A lot of it is just people not paying attention. They blow through the stop sign even though it's marked."
The crash has put pressure on local leaders to evaluate traffic at the intersection.
"It's a problem intersection, and we're certainly going to look into getting another study done," Chief Deputy of the Road Patrol for the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, Bryan Friday, said. "You're dealing with a country road where people are going 55 miles an hour. If they're not familiar with the area, they might not realize there's a stop sign. But it is signed properly."
Friday said that a traffic study was already done, but it might be time for a new one.
WATCH: 'It's a problem intersection': Community calls for action after fatal Genesee County crash
Laura Wadhams, Genesee County's Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, confirmed that a broader initiative is underway.
"We're working on a Local Road Safety Plan that includes all of our county roads and intersections," Wadhams said."But in light of the accident at West Bergen and Griswold, we're going to try to move that intersection up on the list and see if we can come up with a solution that makes sense and keeps everyone as safe as possible."
