A tragic incident occurred early this morning in unincorporated Venice, where a vehicular collision resulted in multiple fatalities, leading to the closure of River Road. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office reported, via WFLA, that two vehicles were involved in the fatal accident, with authorities currently investigating the grim details of the event.

Specifics of the catastrophic occurrence have gradually come to light, revealing that a car traveling southbound on SR-777 veered across the central reservation and collided with another vehicle heading north on River Road. The impact was severe enough to cause one of the vehicles to erupt into flames and the other to overturn on the road's shoulder. As reported by ABC Action News, both the driver and the passenger in the vehicle that caught fire were pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the flipped vehicle sustained serious injuries.

Furthermore, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office advised that one individual was transported to the hospital for medical treatment, as noted in their statement. The section of River Road between West Villages Parkway and the 4-lane/2-lane split is expected to remain closed for an extended period while the Florida Highway Patrol conducts their investigation, a fact echoed by a coverage from FOX 13.

The Florida Highway Patrol will be undertaking the arduous task of piecing together the moments that led up to this harrowing incident. Local drivers have been, and continue to be, urged to seek alternative routes to avoid the closed stretch of roadway. Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is in assistance with troopers in their investigation — according to FOX 13, seeking to clarify the events that led to this unfortunate and deadly occurrence.