ORLANDO, Fla. – Two girls killed in a two-vehicle crash on Orange Blossom Trail on Wednesday afternoon are the 124th fatal accident Florida Highway Patrol has handled this year.
That is the highest it's been since 2006, according to the Highway Patrol.
Last year, the total of fatal accidents was 90.
"We know that (drivers) get on autopilot. You get in the car every morning to go to work, to go to school. It's an automatic thing you do every day," FHP public information officer Kim Montes said. "People have to start paying more attention to their driving and realize that your actions can kill somebody in your car or kill somebody else on the road."
Because investigators are inundated with more cases this year, it could take months before Wednesday's crash investigation is complete, Montes said.
"Unfortunately, with the workload jumping so significantly this year it puts them to task to try to get these investigations done as quickly as possible," Montes said.
The collision at Orange Blossom Trail and Brownell Street happened at 3:15 p.m., troopers said.
Troopers said April Gallon, 31, has been driving northbound along OBT in her Pontiac car when, for an unknown reason, it crossed onto oncoming traffic in southbound OBT, hitting the right side of a Cadillac SUV.
"A vehicle pulled out from a U-Haul parking lot in the right lane and then at some point she changed lanes to possibly get around that vehicle," Montes said. "We know she rolled one time."
Both of Gallon's young daughters were killed in the crash.
Kayla Johnson, 10, died at the scene, troopers said. Jasmin Johnson, 12, died at Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital. Both victims, who were passengers of the Pontiac, were wearing seat belts.
Family member Leundray Wright posted a video on Facebook on Wednesday night asking for prayers.
"If you have children of your own I am going to ask that you go and you kiss your children. Love your children. The last post that April put up was that she was out with her girls not knowing that it was going to be her last outing," Wright said.
Gallon and the driver of the Cadillac SUV were both taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, the Highway Patrol said.