ORLANDO, Fla. – A 25-year-old Oviedo man was killed and another man suffered serious injuries early Thursday in a crash during an apparent street race in Orange County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The fatal crash was reported at 2:20 a.m. on Colonial Drive at Chickasaw Trail near Orlando. Eastbound lanes of Colonial Drive were closed in the area but later reopened.
The FHP said a 2008 Nissan Altima was racing another car, possibly a white Infiniti, and both were traveling above the speed limit and passing other vehicles.
The driver of the Altima lost control of the car, which left the road and struck a power pole and fire hydrant, ejecting both men, the FHP said.
"They start racing and they lose control, and the Altima hit the water hydrant on the side of the road, then hit the light post and the car blew up," a witness said.
Video from the scene showed the car's engine lying in the road, separate from the vehicle.
Ja-mari Wilkerson was taken to Advent Health East, where he died, troopers said.
The other man, identified by troopers as Andre Chisholm, 28, of Orlando, was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, the FHP said.
"If you know what happened I plead for you to come forward because we are hurting and we want justice, because we love him so much," Sonya Barnes, Wilkerson's Aunt said.
It's not known who was driving, but the FHP said neither man was wearing a seat belt.
Troopers are searching for the other vehicle.
"He was young. He was somebody's child. He had a twin. Now a twin has lost a part of him that he could never get back. We want justice," Jacquilla Barnes, Wilkerson's cousin said.
#breaking FATAL CRASH: The engine flew all the way out of the car. A tow truck driver who witnessed the crash says 2 people were ejected. More at 5 @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/hAQSt672M9
— Justin Campbell (@JCampbellNews6) October 3, 2019
No other details have been released.