How Did 6 People Die in a Fiery Crash on Florida's Turnpike?

Quick answer: Six people died in a crash on Florida's Turnpike on Friday evening, after a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse crashed into a Florida Highway Patrol roadside assistance truck and caught fire. All six passengers in the Traverse died. Three of them were siblings travelling to Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights on what was described as their first sibling trip together. The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed it will open an investigation.

Key facts

• What: A crash on Florida's Turnpike involving a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse and a Florida Highway Patrol roadside assistance truck
• Where: Florida's Turnpike, Florida, USA
• When: Friday evening, reported on 26 October 2026
• Reported toll: 6 killed — all six passengers in the Traverse
• Vehicles: 2023 Chevrolet Traverse; Florida Highway Patrol roadside assistance truck
• Investigation: Florida Highway Patrol, with an NTSB investigation to open
• Source reporting: FOX 10 Phoenix, with information taken from reporting by FOX 35 Orlando

What happened

The crash happened on Friday evening on Florida's Turnpike. According to the verified reporting, a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse crashed into a Florida Highway Patrol roadside assistance truck, sending both vehicles off the road.

The Traverse then caught fire, and all six passengers inside it died. Three of the six were siblings who had been travelling together to Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. The reporting describes the journey as what was supposed to be their first sibling trip together.

No exact mile marker or county is given in the verified reporting, and no confirmed cause beyond the collision itself is stated. Those details have not been added here.

The siblings and their family

The three siblings who died were Charles, Jakara and Dalvena, the adult children of Marshall Clarke-Milton.

Clarke-Milton told FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte that she felt something was wrong that night when she was not able to get hold of her adult children. She then heard about the crash and reached out to officials. She said: "My heart sank. Because somehow I knew it was them, but I didn't want it to be them."

The loss of three siblings in a single crash, on a trip they had planned together, is at the centre of this story. The family details above are limited to what the verified reporting itself records.

Emergency response and investigation

The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash. The Florida Highway Patrol said it would release its crash report within 10 days.

Separately, the National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed it will open an investigation into the incident. The involvement of both the Florida Highway Patrol and the NTSB reflects the seriousness of a crash in which six people died.

Readers should treat early reporting as subject to update: official reports and investigation findings may add detail, confirm further facts, or clarify the sequence of events in the days ahead.

What happens next

The next confirmed steps are the Florida Highway Patrol crash report, expected within 10 days, and the opening of the NTSB investigation.

Those official sources are the ones to watch for confirmed detail on the crash, including any findings about how the Traverse came to strike the roadside assistance truck. Until those reports are released, the verified facts remain those set out above: six people died, including three siblings, after the Traverse struck the patrol truck on Florida's Turnpike and caught fire.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Florida Turnpike crash?

Six people died. All six were passengers in the 2023 Chevrolet Traverse, which caught fire after striking a Florida Highway Patrol roadside assistance truck.

Who were the three siblings who died?

Charles, Jakara and Dalvena, the adult children of Marshall Clarke-Milton. They were travelling together to Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights on what was described as their first sibling trip together.

Where and when did the crash happen?

The crash happened on Friday evening on Florida's Turnpike in Florida, USA, and was reported on 26 October 2026.

What vehicles were involved?

A 2023 Chevrolet Traverse and a Florida Highway Patrol roadside assistance truck. The Traverse crashed into the truck, sending both vehicles off the road.

What investigations are under way?

The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating and said it would release its crash report within 10 days. The National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed it will open an investigation into the incident.