The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a two-car crash that left three children dead.
The crash happened at about 8:40 p.m. Saturday on Cypress Parkway, just west of Laurel Avenue in unincorporated Poinciana.
A witness told investigators a 2001 silver Lincoln that was traveling westbound on Cypress Parkway began to fishtail and the driver appeared to lose control. The car began to spin into the eastbound lane.
The Lincoln struck a 2014 Jeep Patriot head-on, according the sheriff’s media release.
Investigators say each vehicle had two adults and three children inside.
The driver of the Lincoln, 25-year-old Javier Aguilar, was taken to Osceola Regional Medical Center in critical condition. His passenger, identified as 35-year-old Brittany Collins, was taken to the same hospital in stable condition. Three children were in the back seat, according to investigators. Two of the children, both three years old, were taken to the hospital in good condition. A 6-year-old died as a result of the crash.
The driver of the Jeep, 39-year-old Richard Persaud, had to be extricated from his vehicle. Persaud was taken to Osceola Regional Medical Center in critical condition. His passenger, Amanda Persaud, 35, was also taken to the hospital in stable condition. They had three children in the backseat. Investigators say a 15-year-old was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital in serious condition. Two other children, an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old both died.
According to the sheriff’s report, car seats and seat belts appear to have been used in both vehicles.
Cypress Parkway was closed for about five hours while investigators worked to clear the scene.
The Sheriff’s Office says the crash remains under investigation.