Workers Question Safety At Intersection Where BSO Deputy Died In Crash

POMPANO BEACH (CBS4) - It's been nearly two weeks since Broward Sheriff's deputy Christopher Schaub was killed in the line of duty while riding his motorcycle in Pompano Beach at the intersection of McNab Road and Andrews Avenue.

Several people who work near the scene of the accident say the intersection is a dangerous one and should be made safer.

The Broward Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash and they say it could be a lengthy, thorough and complicated case.

But people who work near here -- like mechanic Bob Reed -- believe there are several factors at play, including the way the intersection is designed.

"This intersection is very deceiving because each road is on an angle," Reed told CBS 4's Carey Codd. "When you make a turn you're closer to the car coming at you than you (think you) are."

Others believe the timing of the lights -- especially the turn arrows -- is off.

"(The arrows are) changing very quickly. I've seen this happen all the time -- over and over," said Jacko Findikoglu, who owns a repair shop across the accident scene. "I've seen so many accidents here."

Some speculate that Deputy Schaub was possibly trying too quickly to make a left turn to go south on Andrews and misjudged the oncoming car.

"You think you're gonna make it and you don't," said Mike Holmes, who works at Rickris Cafe. "That's just what it looked like happened."

But Reed, who says he heard Deputy Schaub's motorcycle approach the intersection, isn't so sure.

"I think at the last minute he tried to slow down," Reed said.

Schaub died after his motorcycle collided with a Mercedes-Benz driven by Mirtha Odell, who witnesses say was headed westbound. Odell was not seriously hurt.

On Tuesday, CBS 4 cameras could not see anything obviously wrong with the lights at the intersection.

We wanted to ask Broward County transportation officials whether changes have been made or are planned for the intersection but our calls Tuesday afternoon were not returned.

We did see plenty of cars driving quickly and we saw at least one car run a red light. But which factors played a role in the crash are still unknown.

As investigators studied the evidence, Deputy Schaub's family received Expression of Sympathy Proclamations in their father's name Tuesday from the Broward County Commission and the Pompano Beach City Commission.

"It just proves that everything we do out here and everything my father did has not gone unnoticed," Tim Schaub, also a BSO deputy, said. "And it's great to see the support."

Tim Schaub said he doesn't know much about the intersection where his father died but he wants everything investigated.

"If it comes out to be a dangerous intersection, I would expect it to be looked into and addressed properly," he said.

Deputy Schaub's daughter, Kaitlyn, said her father was a man who gave of himself on duty and off for family, friends and anyone who needed him in the community. She, too, wants answers.

"It would give us some more closure," she said. "It's not really who's right and who's wrong, it's just for the whole thing to be over would be great."