A 38-year-old Melbourne woman died and a 9-year-old girl was hospitalized Saturday morning after a 2007 Toyota Scion tC left northbound Interstate 95 near Ormond Beach and overturned, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash occurred around 7:45 a.m. near the U.S. 1 exit, just south of mile marker 271, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
A witness told investigators that the driver changed lanes and then overcorrected to the right before the car left the roadway and rolled into the woods, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. Emergency crews took the woman to AdventHealth Daytona Beach, where she died from her injuries. The child was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando with non-life-threatening injuries, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children houses Central Florida's only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, according to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. The facility maintains round-the-clock specialized emergency care.
Witness account of the roadway departure
The witness account cited by investigators describes a lane change followed by an overcorrection before the vehicle left the roadway. The account has not been presented as a final determination of the crash's cause.
FDOT has cited design concerns near U.S. 1
The available FDOT information does not establish how many fatal or injury crashes occurred on northbound I-95 near U.S. 1 during the past five years. In a 2023 project announcement, however, the Florida Department of Transportation described the interchange as having been built in the 1960s and said its antiquated design was associated with increasing crashes and operational issues, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. FDOT has announced a reconstruction of the interchange that includes redesigned loop ramps, widened I-95 off-ramps and a 50% increase in U.S. 1 capacity, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The Florida Highway Patrol's investigation remains ongoing, according to FOX 35 Orlando. Under Florida law, crash reports are generally confidential for 60 days after filing or becoming available, subject to exceptions for people and entities authorized by the statute. The Volusia Sheriff's Office says unauthorized attempts to obtain such reports during that period can violate state law.
A Deadly Stretch of I-95 in Ormond Beach
A fiery collision involving two semi-trucks was reported on August 13, as Hoodline reported at the time.
Countywide and statewide, traffic safety remains a concern.
No further details about the crash's cause, or the identities of those involved beyond the ages and hometown already released by troopers, have been made public as the investigation continues.
