SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - One person was killed and six others were taken to area hospitals after, authorities said, they were involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Southwest Miami-Dade that involved an SUV believed to have been traveling against traffic.
Florida Highway Patrol and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the wrong-way wreck along Quail Roost Drive, near Southwest 113th Avenue, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Sunday.
Witness Julissa Mendoza said she was home when she heard the crash.
“It was 4:28. Two minutes later, we heard a loud bang,” she said. “Anything can happen in such a quick moment.”
Troopers described the crash as a five-car pileup. The impacts caused pieces of the vehicles, including tires, to fly across the roadway.
“I wanted to run and help them, like, ‘What do I need?'” said Mendoza, “’cause I’m just a high school student in a medical program, so I was like, ‘What do I do?'”
Mendoza said she saw good Samaritans running to the cars involved to render aid to the people inside.
Investigators said a white Mercedes-Benz SUV was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes for several blocks before crashing and ending up on its side.
Officials said there was a total of five vehicles and 10 people involved in the crash.
FHP officials said in one of the vehicles was a father and son. The son was in the front passenger seat and died on scene as a result of the crash.
His identity has not been revealed, but authorities said he was 58 years old.
The father was transported by fire rescue to Kendall Regional hospital with injuries deemed not life-threatening.
“Hoping the best for the family ’cause, you know, just after Christmas, like what, two days after Christmas? It’s something shocking,” said Mendoza.
The other surviving victims were also transported to area hospitals. As of Monday morning, their conditions were unknown.
FHP had the roadway blocked for at least five hours before reopening it to traffic.
Just after 10 p.m., a crime scene remained at the scene. 7News cameras captured pieces of debris scattered onto the road.
Homicide investigators are attempting to determine whether drugs, alcohol or speeding may have played a role in the crash.
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