Crash adds urgency to long-running speeding complaints in southwest Fort Worth
A vehicle crashed through a wooden backyard fence along Heritage Trace Parkway near Harmon Road in Fort Worth about 7 p.m. Sunday, scattering debris more than 100 feet and narrowly missing children who were near the pool at a house a few doors down, neighbors said.
When Fort Worth police arrived to the 1500 block of Heritage Trace, they found a badly damaged black car that had struck the fence, authorities said. Officers with the North Division said the driver was issued a citation for reckless driving. The front-seat passenger was transported to a hospital; police did not immediately provide that person’s condition. The homeowners and their family were not injured.
"That was close. That was so close. We could be mourning the loss of a toddler right now," a neighbor said.
Neighbors described the scene as the latest — and most frightening — sign of a speeding problem they said has been building on the stretch of road for months. Witnesses said a stone column that served as part of the fence’s anchor was reduced to rubble, metal poles were bent and a wooden fence lay in splinters along the sidewalk.
Residents said the crash could have had a far worse outcome. According to witnesses, at the moment the vehicle struck the fence a 2-year-old in a life vest was walking near the fence line while other children were in a pool a short distance away.
- Time: About 7 p.m. Sunday
- Location: 1500 block of Heritage Trace Parkway near Harmon Road
- Police action: Driver cited for reckless driving; passenger taken to a hospital
- Residents: Homeowners and family not injured; children narrowly missed
Longtime resident Alex Gunter, who was in her backyard when she heard a car accelerating, said the sound suggested the driver was out of control. "I've just known this was going to happen at some point," she said, referring to what neighbors described as repeated high-speed driving on the road.
City Council member Charlie Lauersdorf, whose district includes the area where the crash occurred, said he planned to raise the neighbors' concerns with municipal transportation and public works officials. "Something has to be done," he told reporters after viewing video of the damage.
The crash underscores tensions in residential parts of Fort Worth where residents have voiced alarm about speeding and traffic safety. Neighbors told reporters there have been multiple crashes at nearby intersections and described the stretch of Heritage Trace Parkway as feeling like a drag strip.
| Detail | Reported |
|---|---|
| Injuries to residents | None reported |
| Passenger | Transported to hospital; condition unknown |
| Police action | Driver cited for reckless driving |
Neighbors said they have reported speeding and crashes to city officials in the past and are seeking a more permanent response. Possible actions city officials typically consider in such situations include traffic studies, speed enforcement, adjustments to signage and roadway design changes such as traffic calming measures. Lauersdorf did not specify which remedies he would pursue but indicated he would take residents' concerns back to the relevant departments.
For now, residents are left with the physical reminders of the crash — a ruined fence, bent metal and scattered stone — and heightened worry about what might have happened. Local officials have been asked to look into the stretch of Heritage Trace Parkway and report back to the neighborhood about measures to reduce speeding and prevent a similar incident.
Police continue to investigate the crash. Fort Worth residents concerned about traffic safety on Heritage Trace Parkway were urged to contact City Council offices and the city's transportation and public works departments to request further review and potential interventions.
