Poinciana crash killed 3 children, grandmother

POINCIANA, Fla. —

It’s been one year since a crash at the intersection of Laurel Avenue and San Miguel Road in Poinciana claimed the lives of three children and their grandmother.

Officials with Florida Highway Patrol said at around 7 p.m. on Sept. 3 of last year, a Chevy sedan, driven by a 15-year-old, ran a stop sign and slammed into the left side of an SUV, causing the SUV to spin out and hit a light pole.

The three children and their grandmother didn’t survive the crash.

Only their grandfather, who was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, survived.

Within days, the community started calling for change and Osceola County leaders began working on making the intersection safer.

By mid-September, they made the intersection a four-way stop instead of only having stop signs on Laurel.

County officials said they have two other projects planned to improve safety in the area, including building roundabouts nearby to slow traffic. But no other changes have been made at the intersection and no charges have been filed, even though troopers said the teen, who had three other teens in the car with them, didn’t have a license or learner’s permit.

WESH reached out to FHP for an update:

“The primary investigator for this case has sent the completed traffic homicide report to the State Attorney’s Office for review. Charges will not be made until the State Attorney has completed the case review. This is still an active criminal investigation. Therefore, no further details will be released at this time.”

WESH also reached out to the State Attorney’s Office for an update on their end, but has no heard back.

The county’s roundabout project was just approved last month. Construction is set to begin in the spring of next year.

A memorial is being held to remember the lives lost at 7 p.m. Tuesday.