Three Apopka teens died in a single-vehicle crash at 1:37 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of Welch Road and Wekiva Drive, with three other teens suffering serious injuries.  

“One of the hardest parts of being a school board member is when tragedy strikes and we lose one of our precious students,” Orange County School Board District 7 member Melissa Byrd said in a Facebook post Sunday. “…Please pray for Apopka High School and Kelly Park School K-8 as both these schools work through this loss. Hold your kids and loved ones tight showing your love for each other, every day.” 

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 17-year-old male was heading eastbound on Welch Road with five other teens in his 2020 Chevrolet Silverado. When negotiating a curve, the driver ran off the roadway, struck a tree and overturned. 

The driver and two of his passengers were transported to local hospitals with serious but non-fatal injuries. Two other passengers were pronounced dead on the scene, while another was pronounced dead at AdventHealth Apopka.  

According to WFTV 9, the names of the deceased teens were Enrique Rodriguez Sabas, Julio Lopez, and Leyner Velasquez. 

“Heartbreaking for the Apopka families & their friends, their neighbors & their teachers & classmates … there are no words,” Vice Mayor Diane Velazquez said in a comment on Byrd’s post. “A loss so great for Apopka. May God cover the broken hearts with his Grace.” 

FHP, which is continuing to investigate the crash, reported that four of the six teens were not wearing seatbelts. 

By Monday afternoon, crosses, candles and flowers were gathered at the crash site. A pastor from Victory Church World Outreach Center prayed with a dozen or so mourners at the site around 1:30 p.m. He urged them to go to Jesus for comfort and to trust in Him as Savior.