Four people, including three children, died in a crash when a 15-year-old driver failed to stop at a stop sign in Osceola County on Sunday evening, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 2012 Chevrolet Impala sped down Laurel Avenue, ran through the intersection at San Miguel Street in Poinciana and crashed into the side of a 2022 Honda HR-V, FHP reported.

The Honda, carrying five passengers, spun and crashed into a light pole, according to the crash report. 

The driver of the Honda, a 50-year-old woman, and three passengers ages 1, 9, and 11, died from injuries sustained in the crash. A 52-year-old man, also in the vehicle, was transported to Osceola Regional Hospital with serious injuries. All of the occupants of the Honda were wearing seatbelts.

The 15-year-old driver of the Impala was also transported to Osceola Regional Hospital with serious, but non life-threatening injuries, FHP confirmed Monday afternoon. Three 15-year-old passengers in that vehicle were transported to HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital with minor injuries. None of the occupants of the Impala were wearing seatbelts. 

FHP said Monday that the 15-year-old driver did not have a learner’s permit. But even if he had, the teen would still have been driving illegally: Under Florida law, anybody driving with a learner’s permit must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years of age.

“It’s definitely something that we have to highlight with parents, and young drivers in general. That they need to educate and have those conversations with their kids,” FHP Trooper Migdalisis Garcia told Spectrum News Monday. “This is something that parents have to address and talk about before situations like these happen.”

Garcia said the Impala is registered to a licensed adult driver, but she was not sure of the teen driver’s relationship to that adult.

At the crash site at the intersection of Laurel Avenue and San Miguel Road, a makeshift memorial grew Monday as people stopped by, adding flowers, stuffed animals and other items.

Poinciana resident Maribel Feliciano stopped by Monday to pay her respects. She was among several area residents who said the intersection is a constant concern, as drivers often speed right through it.

“This is what happens when we don’t pay attention and we drive recklessly. This is exactly the outcome,” Feliciano said. “If you were driving safe and careful, all this could have been prevented.”

Florida Highway Patrol said since September 2020, it responded to 13 crashes at the intersection; although five of those crashes involved injuries, Sunday night’s was the first fatal one.

FHP also advised that since it is a local road, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office might have responded to additional crashes. The sheriff's office said Wednesday it has responded to a total of 18 crashes, 10 involving injuries, at that intersection since Sept. 2020.

Vivian Proano, another local resident, said she was feeding her dogs on Sunday evening when she heard a loud ‘boom’ from the crash. 

“They need to put a traffic light here,” Proano said, adding that she often feels concerned about reckless driving in the area. 

“I stopped walking my dog because of that. I almost got ran over. They don’t stop at the stop sign,” Proano said. “It’s very, very dangerous.”

Between the wreckage of shattered glass, car parts and a downed light pole, Feliciano noticed a necklace glimmering in the grass Monday afternoon. A short while later, she pointed it out to a few surviving family members of the victims who briefly visited the memorial.

When she saw the necklace, a woman burst into tears.

“I think it [belonged to] the mother’s daughter,” Feliciano said. “I was able to give her the necklace. She was very happy about that.”

Feliciano and Proano both shared their condolences for the family and said they would be praying for them. 

“They need strength,” Feliciano said.

 FHP said it could not comment on any potential criminal charges while the crash remains under investigation.