JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 A procession Wednesday will return Baker County Commissioner Jimmy Bennett\u2019s remains to Macclenny after he died Monday morning in a crash on I-10.<\/p>\n
Bennett, who also served as the chief operating officer for the Jacksonville Port Authority, had been on the Baker County Commission since 2011.<\/p>\n
The procession bringing Bennett back to Baker County will travel through Macclenny on Highway 90, beginning east of the Baker County Courthouse and continuing along US 90 before reaching Ferreira Funeral Home. <\/p>\n
The county invited community members who wish to pay their respects to line the procession route on US 90 safely and respectfully. <\/p>\n
\u201cCommissioner Bennett served our county with integrity and heartfelt commitment. We are grateful for his years of service,\u201d Sheriff Scotty Rhoden wrote in a social media post.<\/p>\n
Community mourns<\/p>\n
In a statement, JaxPort spokesperson Chelsea Kavanagh wrote that the organization\u2019s employees and leadership were deeply saddened by Bennett\u2019s unexpected passing.<\/p>\n
\u201cJames dedicated his life to improving the quality of life for people in Northeast Florida, and our entire community is better for his service,\u201d Kavanagh wrote.<\/p>\n
Bennett oversaw JaxPort\u2019s two largest departments\u2014Operations and Engineering\u2014and as a member of the leadership team was the liaison for many of the port\u2019s partners. He had worked for JaxPort since 2017 and became COO in 2022.<\/p>\n
Bennett was killed just before 7:30 a.m. Monday morning in a crash on I-10 eastbound<\/a>, west of U.S. 301. His Lexus sedan was rear-ended in traffic by an F-150. The impact slammed him into the inside guardrail and spun his car around.<\/p>\n The 16-year-old driver of the pick-up truck suffered minor injuries.<\/p>\n \u201cJames brought extraordinary dedication, skill, and heart to everything he did. His work ethic was unmatched, and his commitment to our mission elevated everyone around him,\u201d Kavanagh wrote. \u201cHe loved his work and the people he worked alongside, and in turn, we were all made better by working with him.\u201d<\/p>\n