Three teenagers lost their lives and three others were injured after an early-morning rollover crash in Apopka, Florida.
According to NBC affiliate WESH and FOX affiliate WOFL, the Florida Highway Patrol reported that a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling eastbound on Welch Road shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9, when the driver lost control while rounding a curve. The vehicle struck a tree and flipped.
CBS affiliate WKMG reported that three of the six teenage boys inside the truck died. Two teens were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third passed away at a nearby hospital.
The remaining three teens — ages 14, 15, and 17 — sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to the FHP, per WESH.
Melissa Byrd, an Orange County school board member, shared a statement on Facebook confirming that those involved in the crash were students from Apopka High School and Kelly Park School.
“One of the hardest parts of being a school board member is when tragedy strikes and we lose one of our precious students,” Byrd wrote. “Our Apopka and OCPS community suffered a devastating loss today when three of our students lost their lives in a tragic automobile accident in Apopka.”
She continued, “Please pray for Apopka High School and Kelly Park School K-8 as both these schools work through this loss. Hold your kids and loved ones tight showing your love for each other, every day.”
Four of the passengers — including the 13-year-old and a 17-year-old who died — were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the FHP said, according to WKMG.
A neighbor told WESH that drivers often speed around the curve where the accident occurred, adding that he stays cautious when leaving his home due to the danger.
“People just go fast,” Paul Greenwald said. “They accelerate through here because it’s a cool curve when you’re going fast.”
An investigation into the crash remains ongoing, according to the reports.
