Six children were among the nine people who died Monday evening when an SUV flipped into a canal in northwest Palm Beach County.
The Ford Explorer was carrying 10 people when it failed to navigate a left-hand curve, drove off the road, hit a guardrail and flipped into a canal about 7:30 p.m. near Hatton and Southwest Connors highways, outside of Belle Glade, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
All died but one person who was identified Tuesday afternoon as 26-year-old passenger Jorden Rickey Hall, of Connecticut. He remains at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach with serious injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the driver as Pamela Wiggins, 56. She died one day before her 57th birthday. No other information about her was released.
Two of the passengers were from Connecticut: Anyia Monique Lee Tucker, 21, and Kamdien Edwards, 5. One passenger, Ziaire Mack, 3, was from Virginia.
Also killed were: Leiana Alyse Hall, 30; Michael Anthony Hall Jr., 14; Imani Andre Ajani Hall, 8; Naleia Tucker, 1; and Yasire Smith, who turned 5 years old a week ago.
Captain Tom Reyes, a spokesperson for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, told reporters at the scene that the department has dive teams stationed in Belle Glade, and divers were in the water “immediately to get people out, to search the car, to search the area around the car …”
“This is a very significant scene,” Reyes said. “This is a very tough call. I’ve been with the department for 20 years, and this is one of the most difficult scenes I’ve been on.”
Five deputies also entered the canal, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Teri Barbera said.
Wiggins and three of the passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office said. Five people later died at St. Mary’s Medical Center.
The Sheriff’s Office crash report indicates no one was a seatbelt and the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Barbera could not say where the group was going. The sole survivor may be the only person who knows what exactly went wrong.
“There’s only one survivor and we have to talk to that person and learn what occurred,” Barbera said. “I don’t even know … that person’s in pretty serious condition.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday afternoon it is sending representatives to begin a safety investigation of the crash.
