ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A chaotic scene unfolded in Orange County on Thursday afternoon after a vehicle careened off the roadway and smashed into a local daycare center, leaving multiple children and adults hospitalized.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the incident occurred just before 3 p.m. at 1211 N. Pine Hills Road. First responders were alerted to the scene after a 2003 Honda CR-V, traveling south on Pine Hills Road toward Elinore Drive, suddenly veered out of control.
For reasons that remain under investigation, the driver—identified only as a 79-year-old man from Orlando—swerved off the asphalt. The vehicle crossed over the center median and barreled across the northbound lanes of traffic before jumping the curb and striking the daycare facility.
The impact caused significant structural damage to the building, prompting a massive emergency response from both police and fire rescue crews. Officials confirmed that the crash resulted in injuries to at least three children and two adults, including the 79-year-old driver. All injured parties were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment; their current conditions have not been released by authorities.
“Currently, all lanes are shut down in both directions on Pine Hills Road,” the FHP stated in a press release issued shortly after the crash. “This remains an active and ongoing investigation.”
The sight of the heavily damaged SUV embedded in the daycare structure has sent shockwaves through the Pine Hills community. As traffic remains paralyzed in the area, investigators are working to determine exactly what caused the elderly driver to lose control of his vehicle. State troopers have not yet indicated if the driver will face charges, noting that the sequence of events leading up to the collision is still being reconstructed.
The incident has already reignited local discourse regarding public safety and building requirements. Questions are being raised by residents and advocates about whether additional vehicle barriers or traffic-calming measures are necessary to protect structures located near busy thoroughfares like Pine Hills Road.
As of Thursday evening, authorities have not provided any information regarding the identities or specific ages of the children injured. Parents of children attending the daycare have been directed to contact local emergency management officials for updates and reunification procedures.
Law enforcement officials have urged motorists to avoid the Pine Hills Road area while crews work to clear the wreckage and conduct a forensic investigation at the crash site. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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