FHP: Child killed, three others injured in rear-end crash on Turnpike in Lake County

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A 7-year-old was killed and three other children were injured after a semi-truck rear-ended their car on Florida’s Turnpike in Lake County early Saturday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Adrian Perez, of Ft. Pierce, was riding in a 2003 Dodge Caravan headed north on the turnpike near mile marker 290 around 1:15 a.m. when a semi-truck rear-ended the car, troopers said.

The Dodge then crashed into the guardrail before coming to rest on the right shoulder of the turnpike, troopers said.

Perez was taken to Leesburg Medical Center where he later died, troopers said.

Three other children in the car—ages 4, 6 and 9—were seriously injured and taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital, according to the crash report.

The crash report said all the children were wearing their seatbelt.

Charges are pending against the semi-truck driver, according to the crash report.

Alcohol was not involved in the crash, the report states.

Cox Media Group