Fatal crashes dip in two Central Florida counties

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Drivers in Central Florida saw a dip in the total number of fatal crashes in 2017 in two counties compared with recent years, according to state records.

According to Florida Highway Patrol preliminary data, there were 56 fatal crashes in Brevard County in 2016, compared with 40 in 2017. In Volusia County, there were 57 fatal crashes in 2016 and 53 in 2017.

However, FHP spokesperson Kim Montes tells News 6 that Orange County has seen the most fatal crashes in 2017 since 2004, with 127 fatal crashes, up from 125 in 2016. Lake County had 27 fatal crashes in 2017, one more than the prior year. Osceola County was up by eight crashes in 2017, and Seminole County was up by five, according to the preliminary data.

In Orange County, the last fatal crash of 2017 happened in Winter Park on New Year's Eve.  Police said a driver was traveling at a high speed and collided with another car that was crossing Orange Avenue from Westchester Street. Two people died.

Winter park police said the victims were Geena Brigete Pabarue, and Keisha Nicoe Oyola Perales, both 23.

A state resource, Florida’s Integrated Report Exchange System, or FIRES, shows 2,900 traffic-related deaths in 2015 and nearly 3,200 crash-related deaths in 2016. Currently, the website shows 2,808 people were killed on Florida’s roads in 2017; however, Montes said that data is incomplete and the preliminary data does show an overall spike. It could be weeks or months before all Florida agencies have completed alcohol-related testing and uploaded their numbers and a final number is made available.