Three siblings died alongside three other people in a fiery crash on Florida’s Turnpike, during what was intended to be their first trip together as brothers and sisters.
The six were travelling in a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse when it collided with a Road Ranger truck in Orange County late on Friday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said the crash happened at about 9.31pm near mile marker 252 on the northbound carriageway. The Road Ranger vehicle had initially been parked in the central reservation with its emergency lights activated while its driver assisted at an earlier incident.
The 28-year-old driver, from Kissimmee, was later sent to help a broken-down lorry on the hard shoulder and was moving across the road when the collision occurred, investigators said.
Witnesses told the Florida Highway Patrol that the SUV was travelling at a high speed without its headlights on. Its front left side struck the rear right of the Road Ranger truck, sending both vehicles off the road and into flames.
The SUV’s driver and five adult passengers became trapped inside and were pronounced dead at the scene. The Road Ranger driver suffered minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment.
The parents of the three siblings have spoken about their loss as the investigation continues. The Florida Highway Patrol has not yet released the identities of the six people who died.
