HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A major crash killed five people and injured three others in Hillsborough County on Sunday night, according to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
Officials said a 2015 Ford Explorer was traveling north on State Road 39 near Bruton Road around 9:22 p.m. when it crossed the centerline of the highway for unknown reasons. The SUV collided nearly head-on with a 2021 Nissan Frontier traveling south.
The Explorer began to rotate upon impact until it came to a stop along the west shoulder of the highway. The Frontier came to rest in the southbound lane with no lights illuminating the truck.
A third vehicle collided with the passenger side of the Frontier a short time later, pushing both vehicles along the east shoulder of the highway, where they eventually stopped.
The drivers of the Explorer and Frontier both passed away at the scene, along with two of the Explorer's passengers: a 56-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl.
A one-year-old baby in the Explorer also passed away later at a local hospital, while three other passengers, including a five-year-old girl, sustained serious injuries.
The 60-year-old driver of the third vehicle was uninjured.
