FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. — A 15-year-old Clay County teen is in an Orange Park hospital after being hit by a car Wednesday night.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the teen suffered critical injuries after she was struck by a car while crossing a crosswalk at the intersection of Eagle Harbor Parkway and Town Center Boulevard.

It’s an intersection that Fleming Island residents tell First Coast News is “complicated” and “confusing” because of the many different directions drivers can turn and the different crosswalks for pedestrians.

Tyrell Glenn calls Fleming Island home, and when she’s driving around town, she says the intersection at Eagle Harbor Parkway and Town Center Boulevard is one she tries to avoid.

“It’s sad,” said Glenn. “We got to be more alert as drivers. It’s always accidents right there.”

FHP said Wednesday night, a 15-year-old girl was struck by a 68-year-old driver while crossing the crosswalk at the busy intersection after 8 p.m. 

The teen is still in the HCA Orange Park Hospital with critical injuries.

“I know they can say pedestrians have their responsibilities, but we have responsibilities too, because she’s a kid. It’s sad,” said Glenn. 

Longtime Fleming Island residents, like Jeff Dean, call the incident a tragedy, since he says so many kids cross that intersection.

“They can walk to the store,” said Dean, “they can walk to restaurants. It’s such an interactive area. So it’s just sad because it could have been anyone it happened to.”

Matthew Davis said that the area is not only risky for pedestrians but also for drivers.

“It’s a tough intersection because you have a straight. You have a turn coming west. You have a straight and a turn coming east and you have to turn left and right, and it’s complicated,” said Davis, “it’s a complicated intersection, and to top it off, you have different sidewalks that kids are walking by.”

Davis suggests road improvements like lighting and more signs to make the intersection safer for drivers and pedestrians.

“Of course, nobody wanted this to happen. It was an accident, but it’s still terrible, and we should do everything we can to prevent it,” he said.