Florida troopers said a speeding Jeep crossed the median and struck an SUV near Bayshore Road in Charlotte County.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — Three people, including two young boys, were killed and another driver was seriously hurt after a crash on Interstate 75 near Bayshore Road, where Florida Highway Patrol said a southbound Jeep crossed into the northbound lanes and slammed into an SUV.
The crash, reported Friday near mile marker 154, shut down northbound traffic for hours and left a stretch of interstate closed into the night. Troopers said the dead were all inside the Hyundai Santa Fe that was struck: a 25-year-old man, a 5-year-old boy and a 6-year-old boy. The driver of the Jeep, a 28-year-old man from New York, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries as investigators continued to review what happened and whether charges will be filed.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jeep Wrangler was traveling south on I-75 at a high speed when it veered off course, crossed the grassy median and entered the northbound lanes. Troopers said the Jeep then collided with the Hyundai Santa Fe near the Bayshore Road area. The force of the crash left both vehicles badly damaged. Television video from the scene showed the Jeep overturned and the Hyundai torn apart. The adult driving the Hyundai and one child were pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said. The second child was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Gulf Coast News, citing people who live nearby, described the crash as devastating and said the wreckage stretched across the roadway.
Troopers have not released the names of the victims, and they have not said whether the people inside the Hyundai were related. Investigators also have not publicly explained what caused the Jeep to leave its lane before crossing the median, beyond saying the vehicle had been moving at a high speed. The Jeep driver survived but suffered serious injuries and remained hospitalized as of Saturday. The Florida Highway Patrol said the case remains under investigation. A report on possible criminal charges had not been completed by Saturday evening, though Gulf Coast News reported that charges were pending against the Jeep driver. Officials also had not released further details about road conditions, visibility, or whether impairment, distraction, or mechanical problems may have played any role.
The crash happened on one of the main north-south routes through Southwest Florida, and the closure backed up travel near the Bayshore Road exit in Charlotte County. For hours, northbound drivers were forced off the interstate while crews worked the scene and investigators gathered evidence. Early reports from other local outlets described traffic being diverted at Exit 143, near Bayshore Road. By Saturday morning, all lanes had reopened. Even after traffic resumed, the effects of the crash lingered in the community because of the ages of the children who were killed and the violence of the impact described by troopers. The location, near Punta Gorda, sits along a heavily traveled corridor used by local drivers, commercial traffic and visitors moving between Southwest Florida communities.
The next step in the case will come from troopers and, if warranted, prosecutors who review the evidence collected from the roadway, the vehicles and witness accounts. Investigators typically examine speed, vehicle positions, debris patterns and any electronic or physical evidence that helps explain how a crash unfolded. In this case, officials have already said speed is a central part of the investigation. They have not announced a date for a completed crash report, and they have not said when a final decision on charges might be made. Until then, the official record remains limited to what troopers released Saturday: a southbound Jeep crossed into northbound traffic, struck a Hyundai and killed all three people inside that SUV.
The scene left a deep impression on neighbors and drivers who passed through after the road reopened. One resident interviewed by local television said hearing that children were among the dead was especially painful because so many families travel that same stretch of highway every day. The visible damage supported the severity described by troopers. The Jeep was shown overturned, and the Hyundai appeared split apart from the impact. Those images underscored why the interstate remained closed for hours and why investigators treated the site as both a deadly crash scene and a potential criminal investigation. For the families involved, the public facts remained stark by Saturday night: three lives were lost in seconds on a major highway, and one survivor remained in serious condition.
As of Saturday evening, investigators had reopened the interstate but had not released the victims’ names or announced charges. The next public milestone is expected to be an updated statement from the Florida Highway Patrol or the filing of charges once the investigation advances.
Author note: Last updated March 28, 2026.