Man puts up warning signs after deadly crash at State Road 31 and Bermont Road

One man is taking matters into his own hands after a deadly crash on the busy State Road 31 in Charlotte County. Neighbors say they’re tired of seeing crash after crash.

One neighbor is now putting up signs to warn drivers. Richard Abrams can’t afford the signs, but he can’t afford not to put them up.

“Just hope. Hope that it does, hope it saves a family or a child or anyone. I hope it saves lives,” said Abrams.

The neck brace he wears is from a work accident. He’s never been in a crash along State Road 31 and Bermont Road.

He hopes he never is, and he hopes his sacrifice to get the signs up saves countless other lives. “So we spent $531 to get the signs. It broke us because I live on social security, but we got a lot of beans, and that’s what will eat until my next check comes.”

He’ll settle for beans if he doesn’t have to see or hear another crash on the dangerous road.

Abrams said, “I had to do it. Who else wouldn’t do it? You know, so that’s why I did it.”

On all four corners of the intersection, the sign reads loud and clear. “Deadly intersection ahead, and hopefully people will look at it, slow down, take their time going through here.” Abrams said, “lots of families have lost their loved ones right there. It needs to stop.”

For Abrams, no price is too high to pay if it can save someone’s life.

Abrams said he’ll be back on Friday to put a metal pole behind the four signs.

Florida Department of Transportation plans to make the intersection safer by putting in a roundabout. That will be complete by 2025.