Volusia County, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash where a 19-year-old woman was killed, and a 22-year-old man was injured.

What You Need To Know

  • A DeLand woman was killed in a crash early Sunday on U.S. 17 in De Leon Springs, the Florida Highway Patrol said

  • According to FHP, a man was traveling southbound on U.S. 17. when for an unknown reason, he drifted into the northbound lanes, that resulted in a head-on crash with the woman

  • Her vehicle was forced off the road, flipped over and caught on fire. Troopers said she died at the scene

  • The man was critically injured and airlifted as a trauma alert to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he remains in critical condition according to FHP

The crash happened at 2:17 a.m. on Sunday morning on U.S. 17, North of lake Winona Road, in De Leon Springs.

According to FHP, the man from DeLand was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado traveling southbound on U.S. 17.

For an unknown reason, he drifted into the northbound lanes. That resulted in a head-on crash with the woman, also from DeLand, who was driving a Jeep Wrangler.

Her vehicle was forced off the road, flipped over and caught on fire.

Troopers said she died at the scene.

The man was critically injured and airlifted as a trauma alert to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.

Business owners in De Leon Springs said they’ve seen a lot of crashes in this area.

Pierre Smith and Ashley Zeak run their family business Rods Seafood that’s located right off U.S. 17. “It’s a very busy road. There’s a constant flow of traffic every day,” Zeak said. “People just stop randomly on the side of the road. They don’t use turn signals.”

Zeak said to add to the issue, the construction currently happening along U.S. 17 contributes to some drivers being confused, especially for those coming from out of town.

“We have a lot of customers that are coming from Sanford, Deltona, Daytona. They’re not comfortable with the road. There are not many signs that say merge before there’s a merge. So, you kind of just have people cutting in and out, cutting each other off,” Zeak said.

They have two kids and because of the traffic patterns and drivers speeding, they don’t let them out of the store. “I don’t let them out front. Even the parking lot alone is crazy. So, to let them even walk along the sidewalk is scary,” Zeak said.

Officails with FHP confirmed the driver of the Chevy Silverado remains in critical condition.

The Florida Highway Patrol said this crash remains under investigation.