A child was behind the wheel when a car lost control near 3900 Northeast Fifth Avenue in Oakland Park, slammed into a concrete pole and rolled over, sending two children to the hospital as a precaution. The crash also knocked a power line down onto several nearby vehicles, forcing utility crews to rush in and secure the scene before anyone could be moved safely.
According to Local 10 News, the driver was among the two children taken to the hospital, and the Broward Sheriff's Office confirmed the young driver lost control of the car before it struck the pole. Sky 10 flew over the scene as deputies and Oakland Park Fire Rescue crews examined the wrecked vehicle. Authorities have not released the children's ages, genders or identities, nor have they released additional details about how the crash unfolded.
Because the driver was a minor operating the vehicle, deputies are citing them for driving without a license rather than treating the wreck as a routine adult traffic stop. That citation falls under Florida Statute 322.03, which classifies driving without a valid license as a second-degree misdemeanor for a first offense, carrying up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, according to the Law Offices of Kate Mesic, P.A. The firm notes that Florida toughened its penalties in 2024, mandating a minimum 10-day jail sentence for a third offense.
A Live Wire Hazard Beside the Wreck
The crash's most dangerous complication may not have been the pole impact itself but the power line it brought down onto surrounding cars. A Florida Power & Light worker responded to clear the downed line, a precaution underscored by guidance from the Electrical Safety Foundation International, which warns that downed lines can energize the ground up to 35 feet in diameter and that occupants of affected vehicles should generally stay put unless fire breaks out.
Fire-rescue crews examined the wrecked vehicle at the scene. The department added six new firefighter-paramedics to its roster last month, according to the City of Oakland Park, which provides both fire suppression and specialized paramedic response across the city. Because Oakland Park contracts its municipal policing to the Broward Sheriff's Office, deputies rather than a city police department responded to investigate, per the city's own description of a coverage arrangement dating back to August 2000.
Where the Crash Happened
The 3900 block of Northeast Fifth Avenue sits within Oakland Park's Central Business district. The city lists a public library project at 3900 Northeast Third Avenue, according to the City of Oakland Park. It is a stretch of the city that has otherwise seen investment in community infrastructure even as it continues to be the backdrop for a string of serious traffic incidents.
Open questions remain about exactly how old the driver and passenger are, how the child gained access to the vehicle, and whether child restraint requirements were satisfied. Under Florida Statute 316.613, drivers transporting children age five or younger must secure them in crash-tested, federally approved child restraint devices or booster seats, according to Fasig | Brooks. It is not yet known whether that law applies to this crash, and the Broward Sheriff's Office traffic investigation into the rollover is ongoing.
Part of a Troubling Local Pattern
This is not the first time Hoodline has reported on a child hurt in Oakland Park traffic. Last month, a five-year-old was airlifted to a regional hospital after being struck by a car in the city. A 19-year-old driver was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a fatal crash in Oakland Park, a case in which the defendant was only 15 at the time of the 2022 wreck.
The crashes underscore a broader safety challenge across South Florida roadways.
