‘Took their future away.’ Crash kills three returning from double date, Florida dad says
Three young people were killed in a three-way car crash the evening of Aug. 2, Florida police say. The father of one of the 16-year-olds said the accident happened while they were finishing up a double date, according to WFLA.
Lakeland police identified the victims of the crash as a 16-year-old female, a 16-year-old male and a 19-year-old male. After dropping off the fourth person from the double date, the three were in a Nissan Versa heading northbound on a highway at what appeared to be a high rate of speed, police said., Their car struck a Lincoln pickup truck that was turning into a plaza. The truck then struck a Toyota Corolla that was turning to exit the plaza.
The 16-year-old girl who was driving was rushed to the hospital, where she died of her injuries, police said. The other two passengers in the car were pronounced deceased at the scene.
Lakeland Police spokesperson Stephanie Kerr said the three young people had to be cut out of the car, according to WTSP.
“So any damage that is seen in the photographs is possibly damage from the extrication of the vehicle as well as the impact,” Kerr told WTSP.
The family of the 16-year-old boy identified him as Gage Rogerson, who was a rising sophomore at Tenoroc High School in Polk County.
“It was an accident, it took three beautiful souls that loved everybody,” his father Gregory Rogerson told FOX 13. “It took their future away.”
Police said the drivers of the other two cars sustained minor injuries and were not taken to the hospital. The crash happened at around 10:30 pm on Wednesday, Aug. 2.
One person who identified himself as the cousin of the 16-year-old girl posted about her loss on Facebook.
“Our family is devastated and we will miss her every day,” he wrote. “All these kids were so young and had a whole life ahead of them. It breaks my heart and my condolences go out to the other families who also lost their child.”
The crash is still under investigation, police said.