A late-night multi-vehicle collision on a major Orange County highway has left one teenager dead and sent six other people to the hospital, according to official reports from the Florida Highway Patrol. The accident, which involved four separate vehicles, occurred late Friday evening on State Road 429, north of the interchange with State Road 438.
Investigating troopers stated that the crash took place at approximately 11:15 p.m. near mile marker 24. All vehicles involved were traveling in the southbound lanes at the time of the incident.
The sequence of events began in the inside center lane, where a 2016 Jeep Cherokee was traveling behind a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. According to the crash report, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee failed to maintain a safe distance or avoid the vehicle ahead. This resulted in the front-left portion of the Jeep striking the rear of the Hyundai Sonata.
The force of the initial impact caused the Hyundai to lose its position in the lane. Meanwhile, a 2025 Kia Sportage traveling in the outside southbound lane was unable to avoid the wreckage and struck debris scattered across the roadway from the first collision.
The situation escalated further when the disabled Hyundai Sonata moved into the direct path of a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro, which was also traveling southbound in the same lane. The Camaro struck the rear of the Hyundai in a second high-impact collision.
Emergency responders arriving at the scene confirmed that an 18-year-old male, who was a passenger in the Hyundai Sonata, had died from his injuries. He was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident.
Six other individuals involved in the crash required urgent medical attention. These included the driver of the Hyundai Sonata and two female passengers in that vehicle, aged 16 and 14. Additionally, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee, as well as both the driver and a passenger in the Chevrolet Camaro, were transported by emergency services to the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). Authorities reported that their injuries, while requiring hospitalization, were considered non-life-threatening.
The driver of the Kia Sportage was the only person involved who did not sustain injuries. That driver remained at the scene following the collision and cooperated with the investigation.
As of Saturday, the Florida Highway Patrol has not released the names or identities of the deceased teenager or any of the injured survivors. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation by state troopers, and no charges have been announced at this time.
The section of State Road 429 near the SR 438 exit remained under scrutiny as investigators worked to reconstruct the chain of events. Officials have not indicated if weather or visibility factors contributed to the failure of the initial vehicle to avoid the collision.
