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2 children among 5 killed in multi-vehicle crash near Tampa

Posted at 7:13 AM, Oct 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-27 09:24:28-04

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Highway Patrol sys five people, including two young children, are dead following a fiery crash in Tampa.

Troopers said in a news release that 9-year-old John Bernal, 10-year-old Isabell Bernal and 39-year-old Marianela Murillo died in the four-vehicle crash shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Two other passengers in the van - 15-year-old Luisa Louisa and 18-year-old Lina Bernal - are in critical condition. The van caught fire after the crash.

An incident report says that for unknown reasons, 22-year-old Pablo Cortes Jr. lost control of his car, crossed a median and hit the other vehicles head on. A 19-year-old passenger Jolie Bartolome also died in the crash.

The driver of the third vehicle has serious injuries.

The crash closed roads in the area until around 4 a.m. Thursday.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
 

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(Original story)

TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Florida Highway Patrol are investigating the cause of a fatal multi-car crash involving a fire.

According to officials, the accident occurred on Coconut Palm Drive and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Five people have been confirmed killed in the crash. Witnesses told ABC Action News the accident was caused by street racing.

Gregory Hawkins said he was driving down MLK and saw two cars speed past him. Hawkins said he helped pull children out of one of the cars involved in the crash.

Neighbors living in the area told ABC Action News a lot of street racing occurs in the area where the crash occurred.

Neither Florida Highway Patrol troopers or Hillsborough County deputies could confirm at this point street racing was the cause of the deadly accident.

All lanes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard were closed overnight. Officials cleared the crash and reopened the road just before 4:30 a.m. on Thursday.