KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Two separate crashes shut down Florida's Turnpike Thursday, killing a man and a woman in two seperate areas of the highway in Osceola County, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
- 5 a.m.: 1st crash on South Florida's Turnpike in Kissimmee
- 11:50 a.m.: 2nd crash on Turnpike South near State Road 60
- A male passenger died in the first crash; a woman was killed in the second
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The first crash happened on Florida's Turnpike's southbound lanes at mile marker 249 (Kissimmee) at around 5 a.m., stated Lt. Kim Montes in a press release.
Randy Washington was driving his 2003 Honda Civic going southbound on the Florida's Turnpike and was on the exit ramp to Osceola Parkway.
FHP says the the 27-year-old Orlando driver "suddenly" changed lanes from the exit ramp to the right lane and went directly into the path of Edgar Lara's 2018 Honda Accord. The front of Lara's car struck the back of Washington's.
Macson Cadet, a 28-year-old passenger in Washington's car, was taken to Osceola Regional Medical Center, where he died. FHP says he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Washington did wear a seatbelt, but is in serious condition at ORMC.
The 31-year-old Lara from Kissimmee only received minor injuries and did not need to go to the hospital.
Charges are pending against Washington, according to FHP.
Around 11:50 a.m., a second fatal crash happened in the southbound lanes of the Turnpike, near State Road 60 in southern Osceola County.
Witnesses told troopers that a vehicle made a lane change and cut off a Ford Explorer that was carrying 10 people.
The driver of the SUV lost control, causing it to roll over several times.
Several people were ejected from the explorer. A woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The remaining crash victims were all taken to area hospitals and are expected to survive. Four of the victims were children.