Speeding Jaguar crashes, filps on Fairbanks

A former Rollins College student flipped his 2012 Jaguar on its roof early Friday morning after speeding eastbound on Fairbanks Avenue – just two days after he drove it off a car lot.

Driver and car owner Mstislav Hermes told police he was driving 85 miles per hour when he lost control of the car as he tried to round the island at the three-way intersection of Fairbanks, Orange and Pennsylvania avenues. The car hit a curb in front of Fiddler’s Green before slamming against a planter, sending it airborne with Hermes and passenger Ahmed Ahmed inside.

The Jaguar landed on its roof and slid 350 feet past a railroad crossing before screeching to a halt around 2:30 a.m.

Both riders walked away from the crash. Ahmed sustained only minor head injuries.

“I was in a traffic unit for many years and I’ve seen all kinds of crashes – they were very fortunate if they were traveling 85 miles per hour and did what they did hitting the curb,” said Sgt. John Bologna of the Winter Park Police Department. “It could have been a lot worse.”

Charges are currently pending against Hermes, who just turned 19 earlier that week, Bologna said.

Police don’t believe alcohol was involved, as Hermes successfully completed a series of field sobriety exercises following the crash.