The Packery Channel is usually packed with families and fisherman, but unfortunately, there are also reckless drivers.
For the second time in a month, the Corpus Christi dive team recovered a vehicle over the weekend that was driven into the Packery Channel.
James Powell, is an out-of-town fisherman, and says it’s a surprise to hear about the number of reckless drivers there are.
"I can’t see how someone could drive off there without doing it on purpose," Powell said. "You see all the railings here, and you know not to go any further back than that."
Unfortunately, the signs haven’t stopped the incidents from occurring. Police say in the past year, they have pulled out about eight vehicles from the Packery Channel. There is usually a common factor too. People who are unfamiliar with the area, drink and drive too fast on the beach. Sometimes, people even go fast enough to launch off the dune and into the water.
However, the City of Corpus Christi is doing what they can do make sure accidents like this don’t happen again.? One safety measure the city has put in place is putting up bollards. The bollards usually have reflectors on them, so people can see them during the night, but the city says people took those reflectors down, making it even more challenging for drivers to see at night.
The city also says they’ve posted speed limit signs for 15 miles per hour. They say this is their biggest preventative measure in making sure Packery Channel visitors stay safe.
Because the signs haven’t stopped the nighttime speeders, Packery Channel visitors would like to see something more done.
"There should be something there," Myers said. "A sign, something, saying ‘danger, dead end.’"
One plan the Parks and Recreation Department is looking at, is making a distinct separation between the channel walls and roadway.?
