By Jim Schoettler
The Times-Union
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Coach Christopher Kane’s hulking presence and inspirational words will be missed on area gridirons Saturdays and practice times at the Orange Park Athletic Association.
The decorated police veteran will also be missed on the streets of Jacksonville by the people he passionately protected and the colleagues who cherished his friendship. And the loving husband and father of two will be missed at home.
Kane, 38, died instantly Thursday in a puzzling predawn traffic accident on the Southside when his police car struck the right rear corner of a tractor-trailer parked in a construction zone, Lt. Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The wreck occurred on southbound Florida 9A about 3 a.m., just after Kane finished work and was headed home. Kane stopped to talk with an off-duty officer just north of the Gate Parkway overpass. He then drove at least 300 yards south, going over the overpass before hitting the flatbed, police said. The truck, which was carrying construction equipment, was parked in the left travel lane on a slight decline.
The area was closed to motorists for the erection of overhead signs.
Leeper said Kane may not have seen the flatbed, which had its parking lights on. The patrol car left no skid marks. The investigation is continuing, including efforts to determine Kane’s speed. Police believe he was wearing a seat belt.
A decorated officer
Kane, a former Marine, joined the Sheriff’s Office 12 years ago. He received the agency’s Lifesaving Award in 2003 for helping to save an officer who was severely injured in a personal watercraft accident. His personnel file also includes about a dozen commendations and several letters of appreciation from residents.
Officer Ken Jefferson, an agency spokesman, first met Kane as a rookie when he was in Jefferson’s report-writing class and they remained friends. Jefferson said Kane was a passionate public servant.
“You can’t find anybody who was as dedicated, hardworking and had one of the biggest hearts for one individual than Chris Kane,” Jefferson said.
Two other Jacksonville police officers have died in traffic accidents in the past year. Michael “Brandt” Hartsfield, 50, died in late July after a wreck in his girlfriend’s vehicle. Scott Eric Bell, 50, died in October when a van collided with his squad car.
A hardworking football coach
Kane was an assistant coach of a championship Pop Warner football team from the Orange Park Athletic Association. The Junior Pee Wee Cyclones were last year’s Southeast champions and finished third in the 2007 National Championship tournament at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, said Todd Sutter, the association’s football commissioner.
Kane coached his son, Michael, on the team. Now 11- and 12-year-olds, the Cyclones are scheduled to begin the season Saturday in St. Augustine.
Sutter praised Kane as a loving father, a proud and dedicated coach and good man. He also was a rabid Florida Gators football fan and loved to fish.
“Chris would do anything for any of the kids. That’s how he was,” Sutter said. “He’d help pick up kids. He’d help take kids here and there. He’d take some kids for meals after games if they couldn’t afford it.”
Kirk Luman, co-head coach of the youth football team, said coaches planned to console players and parents at the team’s field Thursday night. Luman said he expects the loss will become even more evident at the team’s first game and then the following practice on their home field.
“It’ll be like a chunk of us is missing,” Luman said.
Copyright 2008 The Times-Union