The Hillsborough County, Fla., Sheriff's Office reported an accident in which six Hispanic people died, three of them minors. Authorities explained that the incident occurred after a train collided with a car crossing train tracks in the county and said the vehicle "looks like a soft drink can that’s been smashed."
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is heartbroken to share the latest update regarding the fatal train versus vehicle crash investigation.
The driver involved in the crash succumbed to his injuries and passed away overnight. pic.twitter.com/m8Yj3zYiT5
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) September 24, 2023
The deceased were all family, and they were headed to a quinceañera party at a house just across the train tracks. "The SUV, we can see from the video, begins to catapult and flip violently several times before it landed a distance from this crossing," said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a press conference, per NBC.
"Pray for this family ... Our hearts are shattered for the loss of this family and the tragedy that occurred here this evening," Chronister added.
The victims were identified as Julián Hernández, 9 years old; Jakub López, 17; Alyssa Hernández, 17; Anaelia Hernández, 22; Enedelia Hernández, 50; and José Hernández, 52. The driver involved in the accident succumbed to his injuries and died during the night, per the sheriff's office, which detailed that the driver had been transported alive to a hospital on Saturday night.
The Miami Herald detailed that the railroad crossing had no barriers, only a stop sign, because the road is not very busy and only leads to a few houses. In addition, authorities explained that they will continue to investigate the accident.
#teamHCSO está investigando un choque entre un tren y un vehículo que resultó en múltiples fatalidades.
El 23 de septiembre de 2023, justo antes de las 7 p.m., los agentes respondieron a la US-92 y la calle Jim Lefler despues de un choque entre un tren y un vehículo. pic.twitter.com/cYLIydHVyU
— Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de Hillsborough (@HCSOSheriffESP) September 24, 2023
