A Jacksonville resident, Megan Croizer, is courageously sharing her devastating experience of losing her boyfriend, Zachary Kennedy, to a fatal accident caused by a wrong-way drunk driver. She describes the heart-wrenching incident as a tragedy that was entirely preventable.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Megan is opening up for the first time about the tragic New Year’s Day when her life took a drastic turn. Her boyfriend, Zachary, was killed in a collision, a grim reminder of the dangers posed by impaired driving.
As December is recognized as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, Megan’s story serves as a poignant warning ahead of New Year’s Eve festivities, a time when many people will be out celebrating late into the night.
In recalling their shared journey, Megan paints a picture of a love story that seemed destined for a beautiful future—until it was abruptly ended. She strongly believes that the crash that claimed Zachary’s life was avoidable.
“Imagine having your entire future mapped out, only for someone to rip that page from your book, crumple it, and discard it,” Megan expressed, capturing the profound loss she feels.
Facing a reality she never anticipated, Megan reflects on the beginnings of their relationship. She met Zachary through a dating app, and from their very first encounter, she felt an undeniable connection, one she thought would last a lifetime.
“I just knew he was the one,” Megan said.
25-year-old Zak was a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy and a naval aviator. Megan said he loved the outdoors, worked out daily, and never missed church. They dated for about seven months, planning a future together.
“We had our kids’ names picked out,” she said.
On December 31, 2023, the couple was driving from their vacation in Illinois back to Jacksonville. Around 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day, fog blanketed the roads in Hamilton County. Megan says she saw headlights coming straight at their car on Interstate 75.
“I screamed, and I looked at Zachary, and Zachary woke up. He was asleep at the time. He looked at me and he was gone,” she said.
Investigators said a wrong-way drunk driver, 21-year-old Jonathan Martinez, hit the passenger side of the car where Zak was sitting. Megan said she crawled through the grass and found him trapped underneath the car. She checked his pulse; there was none.
Police said the drunk driver walked away without a single injury. Meanwhile, Megan was left with severe internal trauma. She says she wrote Zak’s eulogy from a hospital bed.
Now, Megan surrounds herself with reminders of Zak — her dog Tulip, named after his favorite flower, and two stuffed bears, one made out of Zak’s flight suit and another with his voice.
“Good morning. Hello,” she said, imitating the bear.
She said no one should ever have to plan a funeral because someone chose to drive drunk.
“He was selfish, and he took an innocent life. It’s awful,” Megan said.
Megan said the support of both her family and Zak’s family has helped her cope.
To help keep you safe this New Year’s Eve, there are multiple ways to get rides home for free. Law firm Farah and Farah is offering free Uber and taxi vouchers through its Safe Ride Home Program. AAA has also activated its Tow to Go program, which takes people and their cars to safe locations within a certain distance.
