A 12-year-old boy is dead and four other people — three of them children — are seriously injured after a westbound Tesla veered off course, overcorrected and slammed into an oncoming pickup truck on State Road 40 in Volusia County. The crash happened around 2:13 p.m. west of Still Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Florida Highway Patrol says a 2024 Tesla Model Y was headed west on State Road 40 while a 2025 Chevy Silverado traveled east, as reported by WESH. Troopers say the Tesla veered toward the right side of the roadway before its driver overcorrected to the left, sending the car directly into the pickup's path. The right front of the Tesla struck the right front of the Chevy, according to the crash report.
The Tesla was carrying five passengers at the time of the crash, per WKMG. Among them, a 64-year-old Ormond Beach woman and four children — ages 4, 6, 10 and 12 — were all taken to the hospital with serious injuries, the station's report notes. The 12-year-old boy was later pronounced dead at the hospital, while the Florida Highway Patrol says the remaining adult and three children were listed in stable condition.
Drivers in Both Vehicles Escaped Injury
Neither driver was hurt in the collision. The 56-year-old Arizona man driving the Tesla remained at the scene and was not injured, troopers say, and the same was true for the 52-year-old Ocala man behind the wheel of the Silverado. A 16-year-old Ocala boy riding in the Silverado also walked away unharmed and stayed at the scene, according to the same account.
The Florida Highway Patrol says it is still investigating what caused the Tesla to veer off its path in the first place. No further details about citations or potential enforcement action have been released.
Another Deadly Head-On Crash Struck the Same Road Months Earlier
State Road 40 has seen tragedy before. A separate head-on crash on May 4 at State Road 40 and Lake Winona Road killed three people riding in a Honda CR-V and left a family of five hospitalized in a Ford Expedition, according to FOX 35 Orlando. In that crash, the Florida Highway Patrol said the Honda had entered the westbound lanes directly into the Expedition's path. Four members of that Leesburg family underwent surgery, and one remained in critical condition, per the outlet's report.
