MARGATE, FLA. (WSVN) - Three people are dead and two others are hurt following an overnight crash in Margate.
The multi-vehicle wreck happened just before midnight on Tuesday at the intersection of Rock Island Road and Royal Palm Boulevard.
“Royal Palm and Rock Island, it’s multiple vehicles and fatalities,” a dispatcher said over the Broadcastify police scanner.
Police said a total of three cars were involved in the crash, and all of the people who died were in one vehicle.
According to Margate Police’s traffic report, a white BMW collided with a silver Honda while it was traveling eastbound on Royal Palm Boulevard. The BMW then crashed into a black Toyota Camry that was traveling northbound on Rock Island Road.
The collision was so powerful that some of the vehicles’ occupants were ejected on impact.
Cellphone video shared with 7News showed the chaotic aftermath: cars mangled and debris scattered all across the area.
“Medical examiners just arrived and taking pictures, so there’s bodies inside the car,” a man is heard saying over cellphone video.
The driver of the Honda, identified as 24-year-old Brayan Steven Wilches, along with back-seat passenger, 47-year-old Diana Nino, would not survive the crash and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The front-seat passenger of the Honda, Nancy Sanchez, was transported to Broward Health North, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Paramedics transported the driver of the BMW, identified as Jeremiah Anderson, to Broward Health North with injuries that were not life-threatening. A passenger whose identity was not released was also taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
The driver of the Camry suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
A witness who asked not to be identified heard a blaring horn just after the horrific crash
“So I came out here, it was about midnight when the accident happened. I didn’t hear the initial accident, but I heard the horn going off for about two minutes,” said the witness. “The police arrived pretty quick. They shut down the entire Rock Island Road and this whole intersection over here. They were doing CPR on someone. Unfortunately, I don’t think that they made it.”
The witness further described the horrific scene.
“It was bad, really bad. Completely destroyed. I didn’t get much of a good look from the angle I was at, but it was bad,” he said. “It was really tragic. To the victims, I’m really sorry, and we are praying for you guys, and I know it’s not easy to lose somebody that you love, so you’re in our hearts, our minds, and we’re praying for you guys.”
Officials returned to the crash site hours later to pick up some of the debris left behind.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The crash site has been cleared and the roads have reopened to traffic.
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