Six people were killed Friday night, October 23, after a sport utility vehicle collided with a Road Ranger assistance truck on Florida’s Turnpike in Orange County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred at approximately 9:31 p.m. near mile marker 252. Authorities said a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse was traveling northbound when it struck the right rear of the Road Ranger truck, which was moving from the median toward the outside shoulder after responding to assist another vehicle.
Investigators were told by witnesses that the SUV had been traveling at a high rate of speed with its headlights off. The Florida Highway Patrol has not announced a final determination of the cause, and the circumstances remain under investigation.
Following the collision, both vehicles left the roadway and caught fire. The SUV’s driver and five adult passengers were trapped inside and pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said. Their identities had not been publicly confirmed in the latest report available Saturday.
The Road Ranger truck’s driver, a 28-year-old man from Kissimmee, sustained minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment.
The fatal collision has renewed attention to the dangers faced by roadside assistance crews, who often work close to moving traffic while helping stranded motorists and responding to roadway emergencies.
Officials have not released further details about the victims or whether additional factors contributed to the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
Motorists traveling on Florida’s Turnpike should remain alert, maintain a safe speed, and move over when approaching emergency and roadside assistance vehicles stopped along the highway.
