Topline: A 17-year-old now faces DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges after a March crash on Atlantic Boulevard killed a Jacksonville father and his two sons.
Published: July 12, 2026 8:30 am ET
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Sidney Harrell (via Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)
JACKSONVILLE, FL — A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with a fiery March crash on Atlantic Boulevard that killed a 50-year-old man and his two sons, ages 13 and 14, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
In reporting from News4JAX, investigators said Sidney Harrell was taken into custody July 6 after officers stopped him on a warrant and allegedly caught him speeding again. He now faces three counts each of vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter and DUI causing injury, along with a charge of driving while license suspended or revoked.
Detectives said the March 1 crash happened in the Empire Point area when Harrell, driving westbound, crossed the median into oncoming traffic and hit another vehicle head-on before crashing into a second vehicle. The first vehicle was then hit again and burst into flames, trapping the father and both boys inside. Three other people were seriously injured.
Authorities said surveillance footage showed Harrell driving at a high rate of speed and that the vehicle’s event data recorder placed him at 98 mph with the accelerator at 100% just seconds before impact. Investigators also said he only had a learner’s permit, that the permit had been suspended in January, and that toxicology results showed a large amount of THC in his system at the time of the crash.
The charges turn what was already one of Jacksonville’s most devastating traffic deaths of the year into a case that prosecutors can now frame as not just reckless driving, but criminally impaired driving with repeated warning signs. The deaths of the father and his two sons are likely to remain the emotional center of the case as it moves through court.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Published: July 12, 2026 8:30 am ET
Sidney Harrell (via Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)
JACKSONVILLE, FL — A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with a fiery March crash on Atlantic Boulevard that killed a 50-year-old man and his two sons, ages 13 and 14, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
In reporting from News4JAX, investigators said Sidney Harrell was taken into custody July 6 after officers stopped him on a warrant and allegedly caught him speeding again. He now faces three counts each of vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter and DUI causing injury, along with a charge of driving while license suspended or revoked.
Detectives said the March 1 crash happened in the Empire Point area when Harrell, driving westbound, crossed the median into oncoming traffic and hit another vehicle head-on before crashing into a second vehicle. The first vehicle was then hit again and burst into flames, trapping the father and both boys inside. Three other people were seriously injured.
Authorities said surveillance footage showed Harrell driving at a high rate of speed and that the vehicle’s event data recorder placed him at 98 mph with the accelerator at 100% just seconds before impact. Investigators also said he only had a learner’s permit, that the permit had been suspended in January, and that toxicology results showed a large amount of THC in his system at the time of the crash.
The charges turn what was already one of Jacksonville’s most devastating traffic deaths of the year into a case that prosecutors can now frame as not just reckless driving, but criminally impaired driving with repeated warning signs. The deaths of the father and his two sons are likely to remain the emotional center of the case as it moves through court.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Teen Accused of Driving 98 MPH Before Fiery Crash That Killed Father, Two Sons
A 17-year-old now faces DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges after a March crash on Atlantic Boulevard killed a Jacksonville father and his two sons.
By Silvia Torres
Published: July 12, 2026 8:30 am ET
Sidney Harrell (via Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)
JACKSONVILLE, FL — A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with a fiery March crash on Atlantic Boulevard that killed a 50-year-old man and his two sons, ages 13 and 14, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
In reporting from News4JAX, investigators said Sidney Harrell was taken into custody July 6 after officers stopped him on a warrant and allegedly caught him speeding again. He now faces three counts each of vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter and DUI causing injury, along with a charge of driving while license suspended or revoked.
Detectives said the March 1 crash happened in the Empire Point area when Harrell, driving westbound, crossed the median into oncoming traffic and hit another vehicle head-on before crashing into a second vehicle. The first vehicle was then hit again and burst into flames, trapping the father and both boys inside. Three other people were seriously injured.
Authorities said surveillance footage showed Harrell driving at a high rate of speed and that the vehicle’s event data recorder placed him at 98 mph with the accelerator at 100% just seconds before impact. Investigators also said he only had a learner’s permit, that the permit had been suspended in January, and that toxicology results showed a large amount of THC in his system at the time of the crash.
The charges turn what was already one of Jacksonville’s most devastating traffic deaths of the year into a case that prosecutors can now frame as not just reckless driving, but criminally impaired driving with repeated warning signs. The deaths of the father and his two sons are likely to remain the emotional center of the case as it moves through court.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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