A late-night crash on EPCOT Center Drive turned deadly Saturday when a car veered off the road, slammed into a tree, and burst into flames, killing the driver, troopers said. The single-vehicle wreck happened north of Overpass Road, and by the time first responders arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed. Emergency crews pronounced the driver dead at the scene and shut down the roadway while investigators worked through the night.
Troopers told FOX 35 Orlando that the vehicle, a 2023 Hyundai Elantra, was traveling northbound on EPCOT Center Drive just north of Overpass Road when the driver failed to negotiate a curve. The car continued in a northwesterly direction off the roadway and collided with a tree. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames after impact. Investigators said the Elantra was traveling above the posted speed limit, and the crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
History of Collisions on SR-536
State Road 536, the surface route that feeds into the Walt Disney World resort area, has seen multiple serious wrecks in recent years. Coverage of a single-vehicle crash that killed a 23-year-old woman in July 2024 highlighted the dangers along Epcot Center Drive, and local reporting has documented extreme speeding on the same stretch, including drivers clocked at more than 100 mph. ClickOrlando reported several super-speeder arrests on Epcot Center Drive in 2025.
Investigation Underway
Officials have not yet released the driver’s name and have not said whether impairment or any other contributing factors are suspected, FOX 35 Orlando reported. The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate and has not released additional details as of Sunday morning.
