Three Georgia high school students were killed and another remained in critical condition after a Jeep carrying teens on spring break veered off a Florida highway and burst into flames, authorities said. The crash happened Monday along Highway 65 in Franklin County, where the vehicle left the roadway, crossed into the opposite lane and slammed into a tree line before catching fire. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office described it as a terrible traffic crash that shut the highway for hours, with Sheriff A.J. “Tony” Smith saying the road would likely stay closed for about six to seven hours.
Both the Florida Highway Patrol and sheriff’s deputies were on scene investigating and urged drivers to seek alternate routes, noting the victims were not local to the area. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles confirmed the victims include an 18-year-old male from Alpharetta, a 17-year-old female from Cumming, and a 16-year-old female from Cumming. A 17-year-old female from Alpharetta was airlifted to a Tallahassee hospital in critical condition. Fox News Digital has reached out to authorities for additional information. Good Samaritans rushed to the scene and pulled one of the teens from the vehicle before it became engulfed in flames, authorities said.
We don’t know how fast they were going or exactly what happened, but something caused the vehicle to cross into the opposite lane and hit a tree, the sheriff said in a later update, adding that the group had been in the area for spring break and were regular kids enjoying time at the beach. One victim has been identified by family and friends as Jaylyn Fehr, a junior at Horizon Christian Academy. A GoFundMe page set up to support her family described Jaylyn as a volleyball player at the school who also competed with the club team A5 Gwinnett, deeply involved in her church community and known for her faith, kindness and dedication. Her club volleyball team paid tribute, remembering Jaylyn as a beloved teammate and friend.
