ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A 16-year-old Orlando boy driving a sedan was killed and his passenger — a 13-year-old Orlando boy — is in critical condition after the vehicle struck a utility pole early Thursday near Avalon Park, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers responded around 3:37 a.m. to the intersection of Avalon Park and Timber Springs boulevards.
According to an FHP crash report, the 16-year-old was driving a 2013 Hyundai Elantra southbound on Avalon Park Boulevard, approaching Timber Springs Boulevard in the outside lane, when he lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons.
The Hyundai began traveling in a southeasterly direction, running off the roadway left onto the median and across the northbound lanes where it continued traveling in a southeasterly direction onto the northbound sidewalk while rotating clockwise, the report states. The left side of the Hyundai then struck a utility pole, troopers said.
The 16-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene while the 13-year-old was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition, troopers said, adding neither occupant was wearing a seat belt during the crash.
The northbound and southbound lanes of Avalon Park Boulevard were blocked until the 10 o’clock hour Thursday. FHP said around 10:47 a.m. that all lanes were reopened after traffic had been diverted at Waterford Chase Parkway.
FHP is still investigating.
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