Girl, 17, dies after speeding van crashed into house as she slept in her bed



Janay Jackson died from injuries at Shands Jacksonville Hospital

Unidentified male driver was unharmed

Police yet to disclose the exact cause of accident but say alcohol to blame



Victim's father had complained about the dangerous intersection and built a barrier outside bedroom hoping to protect the house from damage

A young girl who was left fighting for her life when a van smashed into her bedroom has died from the fatal injuries.



Janay Jackson, 17, of Englewood, Florida, was sleeping at her home on Tuesday night when a grey Ford minivan careened into her bedroom wall at 5501 Kennerly Road.



Immediately following the 2.40am collision, the Samuel W. Wolfson High School senior was taken to Shands Jacksonville Hospital while the driver suffered minimal injuries.

Tragedy: Janay Jackson, 17, has died from injuries sustained when a van smashed into her Englewood, Florida family home as she slept

Detective Robert Peck from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Department told reporters that the owner of the van drove through the T-junction intersection and into Miss Jackson's home though his identity was not revealed and the reason for the accident has not been determined.



Investigators did believe, however, that alcohol may have contributed to the minivan's high speed impact, reported First Coast News .



Wreckage: The grey Ford minivan, driven by an unidentified male, careened into her bedroom wall at the intersection of Kennerly and Barnes at 2.40am

Grief: Relatives mourn outside the family home where Miss Jackson lived with her parents while she attended Wolfson High School

Workers yesterday were taking their time pulling the car from the wreckage in order not to disturb the structure of the bungalow home.



Miss Jackson's father, Gerald Jackson told the local news station that the house had been a target for wayward vehicles in the past and as such he had built a barrier in front of his daughter's bedroom.



Sadly, though, the cinder block reinforcement was rendered useless on Tuesday when the sound of shattering glass ringing through the house alerted Mr Jackson and his wife to the horrific accident.



Miss Jackson told First Coast News that he had always tried to protect his daughter from what he called a 'violent society' but losing her this way was 'unthinkable'.

Unthinkable: Gerald Jackson had tried to protect his daughter from the dangerous intersection by erecting a cinder block barrier (left) in front of the house but it too was destroyed in the accident

He also expressed his sadness at how 'unfair' it was that the driver had walked away unhurt, only requiring treatment for minor injuries.



Miss Jackson was an excellent grade A student, according to her family, and dreamed of going to nursing school.



Teachers and friends from the school could only sing her praises and mourn her loss.



'The girls closest to her, who had sat with her and build up dreams with her, were devastated,' said Sheri Porubski, Miss Jackson's first period teacher. 'The wail was just unbelievable. I don't think I've ever head such mourning.'



Adding to Ms Porubski's description of the student as 'exceptional', her second period teacher, Elisabeth Sundrstom, called her 'compassionate' and 'smart'.



Tribute: Janay Jackson is missed by her friends and teachers at Wolfson High who talk about a girl who was bright, kind and ambitious

Dreamer: Janay Jackson has been described by all who knew her as a smart, compassionate, grade A student who dreamed of becoming a nurse on day

Friend Mikel Andrews old reporters: 'She was so joyful, so educated. She helped me on many things, math, everything.'



Wolfson graduate, Tim Griffin, who had known her since her freshman year said: 'It hit me hard. I still can't believe it.'

One woman who unfortunately can believe it is neighbour Trish Hunt who, like Mr Jackson, knew the intersection to be dangerous and was well aware of Mr Jackson's self-erected barricade.

'[The city] never did anything,' she complained. 'So the owner put up a wall to try to prevent this tragedy, and unfortunately, it happened today.'

Danger: The intersection at Kennerly and Barnes had long been known as a dangerous junction and Mr Jackson claims to have complained to the city many times about the safety standards

In tact: Before the accident Gerald Jackson had tried to build a barrier preventing an incident like this as seen outside his daughter's bedroom on the right

District Councilman Don Redman said he had never heard anything about the multiple complaints Mr Jackson claims to have filed. But he offered: 'We will look into it and see what might be needed to make it a safer intersection.'



Spokesperson for Jacksonville Public Works, Debbie Delgado, insisted meanwhile that the junction of Kennerly and Barnes 'meets city standard specifications.'

Shannon Hartley, Public Information Officer at Jacksonville Sheriff's Department, is still awaiting more information about the driver and the cause of the accident.

