JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eight people, including six children, were injured Thursday afternoon when a sport utility vehicle rolled over after a collision on Jacksonville's Southside, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The two-vehicle crash happened about 1:45 p.m. on westbound J. Turner Butler Boulevard near Southside Boulevard, troopers said.
According to the crash report, a GMC pickup was changing lanes when it rear-ended a Cadillac Escalade, propelling the SUV off the road. Troopers said the SUV then struck a light pole and overturned.
Troopers said six of the people injured were minors, between the ages of 8 and 14. Only one of the children was wearing a seat belt, according to the FHP report.
Two of the children and an adult passenger were seriously hurt. According to the report, everyone inside the SUV is from Marietta, Georgia.
The driver of the pickup, who troopers identified as 21-year-old Sergio Flores, was cited with careless driving and driving without a valid license, the Highway Patrol said. The Aurora, Illinois, man was reportedly uninjured in the crash.
Jacksonville firefighters said three women stopped and helped the victims until rescue personnel arrived.
Great teamwork by crews on this scene....and a big thanks to the three selfless women who stopped and rendered aide til crews arrived....so sorry not to get your names, but your help is much appreciated! pic.twitter.com/ZCQkCdDjBo
— MyJFRD (@JFRDJAX) April 5, 2018
According to the Highway Patrol, there have been 26 crashes along the corridor in the last 12 months. The Highway Patrol said 19 of those wrecks involved property damage, and at least one person was injured in seven of the crashes.