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Martin Co. sheriff calls SR 710 'death trap' after latest wreck, pushes for expedited safety improvements

'That road is slated to be widened starting fiscal year 2029 and 2030. That's not soon enough for us,' Sheriff John Budensiek says

WPTV

Flowers on a light pole along State Road 710.

By: Scott Sutton

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MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A day after another deadly crash on State Road 710 in Martin County claimed two lives, the sheriff is seeking quicker action to help improve safety on a road he described as a "death trap."

The dangers that drivers face on State Road 710 are an issue that we have covered extensively for years, speaking to residents about what they want to see to improve safety.

Sheriff John Budensiek said Monday's wreck involved a "heavily intoxicated" driver who slammed into the victims' vehicle that was stopped for a flagman.

WATCH: Sheriff pushes for SR 710 widening after latest fatalities

Martin Co. sheriff pushes for expedited improvements to State Road 710 after latest fatalities

"It was a horrific scene," Budensiek said.

The sheriff said one of the victims who was killed remained trapped in that car "for a long period of time."

Two other victims in the crash were flown to a hospital, but Budensiek said one of those victims died at the hospital last night. The sheriff said the third victim was "hanging in the balance" in critical condition.

The person accused of driving under the influence was arrested and is being held at the Martin County jail. That person's name has not been released, but Budensiek said "the individual wasn't even from here."

Monday's double fatal wreck came after a fiery crash on State Road 710 in the early hours of Saturday morning, which claimed the life of a 21-year-old man, near the entrance of a Florida Power & Light substation.

"Three people (have died) on that road in the last three or four days," Budensiek said. "Highway 710 (Warfield Boulevard) has been a death trap for motorists who have been commuting that road over the years."

He cited a traffic study dating back to the early 1980s that said the road needed to be widened, but more than 40 years later, that has not been accomplished.

"We have pushed on the state to do something about that road. We've listened to the community," Budensiek said. "We've written over 2,000 citations on that road. Last year, to put that in perspective, we wrote 16,000 citations in Martin County — 2,000 of them were written on that road. ... The road has to be widened."

Following Monday's crash, the sheriff said he contacted state Rep. John Snyder, who is in Tallahassee for the legislative session.

"He is going today to the director of the Department of Transportation and leaning on them to act faster (to widen State Road 710)," Budensiek said.

He said he also reached out to Indiantown Village Manager Taryn Kryzda to push lawmakers to speed up improvements to the road, which is a two-lane highway north of Indiantown.

"That road is slated to be widened starting fiscal year 2029 and 2030. That's not soon enough for us. That's not soon enough for us, and the residents of Indiantown," Budensiek said. "How many more people have to die before we get that project going?"

Budensiek said additional turn lanes and flashing lights that were installed by the state have helped, but more work needs to be done.

"We can't have this happen, and this could happen again," Budensiek said.

He also asked Martin County residents to reach out to their state representative and tell them they want to see improvements on the road as soon as possible.

"We're all working to make that road safer," Budensiek said. "If they don't make that road safer, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when the next fatality is gonna happen."

According to the sheriff, drivers can expect to see a greater presence of deputies and troopers on the road.

WPTV reporter Tyler Hatfield reached out to Snyder on Tuesday, who said his "office is using every means necessary to sound the alarm for upgrades." He went on to say that if you or your family has been impacted by State Road 710, call his office to make sure your voice is heard.

A total of six lives have been lost on roads in Martin County since the start of the year, with the sheriff calling it "unheard of" for a county that had 22 fatalities in 2025.

Read more of WPTV's coverage of crashes, safety concerns along State Road 710: