A Florida husband and father died in a crash on Christmas Day, just weeks after celebrating his 39th birthday.
According to a crash report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBCSO), the collision happened around 5:48 p.m. local time on Dec. 25 near the intersection of Lake Avenue and East 4th Street in Pahokee.
Investigators said the rider — identified as 39-year-old Joshua “JD” Jones of Pahokee — was traveling northbound on Lake Avenue on a 2021 Yamaha YZ450F dirt bike and approached the intersection at a high speed. The report described the dirt bike as “unroadworthy” and noted it was not equipped with a license tag.
A second vehicle, a 2015 Dodge Charger driven by a 59-year-old woman from Pahokee, was traveling southbound on Lake Avenue and attempting to turn east onto East 4th Street when the crash occurred.
As the vehicle turned, the front of the dirt bike struck the right side of the Charger near the B-pillar — the area between the front and rear doors — according to the report.
Jones was ejected from the dirt bike and came to rest north of the intersection, east of the roadway shoulder. The dirt bike continued forward and stopped at the northeast corner of the intersection. The Charger came to a stop east of the crash site in what the report called a “controlled manner.”
Jones suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said he was not wearing safety equipment. The driver of the Charger, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not injured.
The report stated there was no indication of drug or alcohol impairment for either driver. No charges were filed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Following the tragedy, a GoFundMe was created by Karen Barton to support Jones’ family. The fundraiser says Jones’ birthday was 18 days before the crash and that the incident was witnessed by his wife, Tori, and one of their sons.
“On a sunset ride, JD was on a dirt bike and traveling with a group of family and friends when he was cut off by someone in a sedan who was turning across their lane. With no time to stop, he T-boned the car and was ejected from the bike,” Barton wrote.
Barton described Jones as a “pillar” in the Pahokee community, saying he coached youth football and used “his own money to cook and serve food to the entire football and cheer team during every home game.”
The fundraiser also says Jones worked as the lead mechanic at the family’s car repair shop, where his wife helped.
“As the primary breadwinner in the family, this unimaginable loss is devastating to the Jones family on multiple levels,” Barton wrote. “In addition to this, Tori fractured her right foot as she tried to reach her husband during the accident.”
Barton said donations would help cover living expenses, grief counseling, and other costs that may come with the sudden loss.
