Two young women died and three people were seriously injured in a two-vehicle, alcohol-related traffic crash on State Road 54 in Zephyrhills early Sunday.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the accident that occurred shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday on State Road 54 at Evans Street in Zephyrhills, officials said.
A 2011 Infiniti G37 and 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue both were traveling westbound on S.R. 54 approaching Evans Street just before the accident, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins said in a statement.
The Infiniti was moving at a high rate of speed behind the Oldsmobile.
The Infiniti overtook the Oldsmobile and collided with the rear of the Olds, the release said.
Upon impact, the Oldsmobile left the road in a southwest direction and overturned. The Infiniti veered off the road in northwest direction and flipped.
Hannah Marie Nelson, 24, of Dade City, who was the driver of the Oldsmobile, was killed along with Ashley Aaron Plummer, 24, of Zephyrhills, and a passenger in the Olds.
Jonathan Ryan Haynes, 36, of Zephyrhills, and driver of the Infiniti, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center in serious condition. The release said Haynes' involvement was alcohol related.
Two other females in the Oldsmobile, Jade MacKinzie Bruce, 21, and Maddison Paige Bruce, 17, both of Zephyrhills, suffered serious injuries and were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment.
S.R. 54 at Evans Street was shut down in both directions until 9:40 a.m. Sunday, the highway patrol said. The east-and-westbound thoroughfare in Pasco County now is open in both directions.
