Nine people were killed and one person was seriously injured when an overloaded SUV went out of control on a South Florida road, hit a guardrail and went down a canal, authorities said.
The 2023 Ford Explorer carrying 10 people was traveling south on Hatton Highway near the farming community of Belle Glade at about 7:30 p.m. Monday when it came to a section of the two-lane road that briefly jogs west before heading south again, The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.
The female driver failed to negotiate the turn and went off the road. The SUV struck a guardrail before rolling into a canal that runs parallel to the road, sheriff’s investigators said.
The sheriff’s office told CBS News they don’t believe the crash was related to flooding or the debris Tropical Storm Debbywhich slammed into Florida Monday as a Category 1 hurricane.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes told reporters that when crews arrived, the SUV was upside down and partially underwater.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while five died at the hospital. The driver is among the dead. A 26-year-old male passenger was rescued and was in serious condition.
“I’ve been in the department for 20 years and this is one of the hardest scenes I’ve been on,” Reyes said.
WPEC TV
According to several Ford dealer websites, 2023 Explorers have a maximum capacity of seven people.
No names of the dead, their ages or additional details have been released but Reyes said children and adults were in the Explorer, CBS affiliate WPEC-TV reported.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this heartbreaking event,” the sheriff’s office posted on social media.
Belle Glade is just south of Lake Okeechobee and about 45 miles west of West Palm Beach.