2 dead in separate rear-end crashes on Florida Turnpike in Orange County

ORLANDO, Fla. – A driver was killed early Monday in a crash on the Florida Turnpike where authorities were investigating an earlier fatal wreck, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The first fatal crash happened at 3:20 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the turnpike near mile marker 269.

The FHP said a 22-year-old Orlando woman was driving a car and stopped for an unknown reason the right lane of the turnpike. A pickup truck driven by a 22-year-old Port Clinton, Ohio, man crashed into the back of the car, killing the woman, according to an FHP crash report.

The Ohio man suffered minor injuries, according to troopers.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts, the FHP report said.

An hour and 40 minutes later, another fatal crash happened in the same spot.

The FHP said a Road Ranger was assisting with the first fatal crash and was parked in a southbound lane next to the only open lane in the area. The truck had its lights on, an arrow board and cones were placed on the road directing drivers to the only open lane of traffic, troopers said.

A car driven by a 32-year-old Kissimmee woman failed to slow down and drove through the cones and into the back of the Road Ranger’s pickup truck, the FHP said.

The woman, who was wearing a seat belt, was taken to Health Central, where she died, the FHP said.

The Road Ranger, a 28-year-old Groveland man, suffered minor injuries, according to troopers.

As of 7:30 a.m., traffic remained backed up in the area.