On Saturday evening, September 23, in Plant City, Florida, a collision between a freight train and an SUV resulted in the deaths of six people and left one critically injured.
The SUV, which was en route to a quinceañera (a Latin American celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday), was carrying a family of seven. Surveillance footage revealed that the vehicle slowly approached a train crossing in Plant City, which was marked only by a stop sign and lacked crossing arms. The driver proceeded without looking both ways, placing the SUV directly in the path of the oncoming mile-long freight train.
Moving at 55 mph, the train collided with the SUV. Both witnesses in nearby parked cars and the train’s conductor attempted to alert the SUV’s driver of the impending danger by sounding their horns and flashing lights. However, these efforts did not prevent the accident.
Due to the violent impact, all five backseat passengers were ejected. The two men in the front seat, the driver and a passenger, were trapped inside the wreckage. They were later extracted and were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The driver did not survive.
The deceased were identified as Julian Hernandez, 9; Jakub A. Lopez, 17; Alyssa Hernandez, 17; Anaelia Hernandez, 22; Enedelia Hernandez, 51; and Jose G. Hernandez, aged 52.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff, Chad Chronister, shared details about the incident during a press conference. He described the aftermath of the collision, comparing the state of the SUV to a “smashed soft drink can.” The event deeply affected witnesses and first responders on the scene.
The circumstances leading to the unfortunate event are currently under investigation.