Six people in an SUV died Friday night when it hit a Road Ranger truck on northbound Florida's Turnpike near mile marker 252 in Orange County, FHP said.

Six people died Friday night when the SUV they were in hit a Road Ranger truck on Florida’s Turnpike in Orange County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened about 9:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes near mile marker 252. The Road Ranger truck was helping at an earlier crash when the SUV struck it, troopers said. Both vehicles caught fire.

The FHP’s account was carried by FOX 35 Orlando, which said its story was based on information the patrol provided Saturday, and by UPI.

What the patrol said

  • The SUV was a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse, traveling north.
  • The driver and five adult passengers were trapped in the burning SUV. All six died at the scene.
  • The Road Ranger driver, a 28-year-old man, had minor injuries.
  • The six people who died had not been publicly identified by Saturday.

The FHP is investigating the cause of the crash. This page will be updated when the patrol releases more.

What it means for you

  • Road Rangers are the state’s free roadside assistance trucks. They stop to help stranded drivers and to protect crash scenes.
  • Florida’s Move Over law applies to every stopped emergency vehicle, wrecker, road maintenance vehicle and disabled car showing warning lights on the roadside. Section 316.126 of the Florida Statutes says drivers must leave the lane next to the stopped vehicle when it is safe. If they cannot, they must slow to 20 mph below the posted limit.
  • For live closures on the Turnpike and other Orlando-area roads, see our road construction and closures page and FL511.