Three children are among the six fatalities after a train collision with a car that was crossing railroad tracks in Hillsborough County, Florida, on Saturday night.
Around 6:45 p.m., a train plowed into a group of people traveling in an SUV who were en route to a quinceanera at a residence directly across the railroad tracks. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported that the car had four guys, three females, and some kids.
In an effort to attract the group’s attention, a witness who was parked near the tracks honked their horn.
In a news conference on Saturday night, Sheriff Chad Chronister stated, “The SUV, as we can see from the video, begins to catapult and flip viciously several times until it landed a distance from this crossing.”
Chronister claims that the train crossing region is not particularly busy and is designated with a stop sign urging drivers to pause and check both directions.
Following a call regarding an accident near Jim Lefler Circle & U.S. Route 92 in Plant City, deputies, and other emergency personnel responded to the scene.
It’s so appalling to see this SUV, Chronister added, “it looks like a soda can that’s been smashed.”
The bodies of five passengers who were “violently ejected from the SUV” were discovered there.
Julian Hernandez, 9, Anaelia Hernandez, 22, Alyssa Hernandez, 17, Jakub Lopez, 17, and Enedelia Hernandez, 50, were the victims, who were all rear passengers.
Using the jaws of life, first responders were able to free the front passenger and driver, both guys. The driver, 52-year-old Jose Hernandez, passed away the next day after being brought to a nearby hospital.
The front passenger’s condition is still critical.
At this moment, it is unknown exactly how all seven passengers are related.
The incident that occurred here can only be described as “devastating,” according to Chronister. Our hearts are broken because a family passed away in Hillsborough County today. All of the victims are thought to be citizens of Plant City.