OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – On Monday, a Waste Management garbage truck slowly maneuvered through the Hammock Trails subdivision in Osceola County, dodging and weaving through cars parked on both sides of the street in the middle of the day, being careful to avoid a crash.
Resident Mike Taddeo said he worries something worse could happen in the event of an emergency and he wants changes to be made.
"I'm an older guy. God forbid I have a heart attack, I want an ambulance to get to me, not to sit and honk on a horn until somebody comes out and moves their car," Taddeo said.
He contacted News 6 after seeing a story on the air regarding a similar issue in Avalon Park.
In that case, Russ Mozier in 2016 said he had chest pains but it took the ambulance an extra four or five minutes to get to him because they couldn't get through the cars. Orange County officials afterward conducted a study and last summer installed "no parking" signs on one side of all Avalon Park streets.
"I saw your piece on Avalon Park, and when I saw it, I said, 'Hey, that's our community, that's us,'" Taddeo said. "We have the same exact problem, and maybe the county can get results."
Taddeo said the homeowners association can't do anything about it because it is a county road. He also spoke to a deputy, who said his hands are tied, too.
Taddeo filled out a form to express his complaints to Osceola County on Monday. News 6 also contacted officials.
A spokesperson with the county said they are looking into it.
"While I don’t have an answer at this time, I can tell you that our Transportation and Transit Department is aware of the concern of some residents regarding the parking," said Mark Pino, Osceola County spokesperson.