VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Three people, including a Flagler County official and his wife, were killed in a chain-reaction, hit-and-run crash that prompted the partial closure of Interstate 4 in Volusia County over the weekend, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The wreck occurred around 9:55 p.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of I-4 in the Deltona area, near mile marker 108, troopers said.
According to an FHP crash report, a 2025 Dodge Durango, a 2013 Ford Focus, a 2001 Suzuki motorcycle and a 2020 Honda Pilot were traveling eastbound on I-4, east of DeBary Avenue, when the Dodge driver changed from the center lane to the inside lane in the direct path of the Ford.
The left side of the Dodge struck the right side of the Ford, starting a chain-reaction crash with the Suzuki and causing the Ford to strike the guardrail before re-entering the eastbound lanes and colliding with the Honda, the report states.
The 54-year-old Deltona man riding the Suzuki was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said, as were the 59-year-old Palm Coast man driving the Honda, and his passenger, a 60-year-old Palm Coast woman.
On Monday, officials confirmed that Flagler County Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas and his wife were the driver and passenger in the Honda who were two of the three killed.
“Jorge was a very strong partner in leading Flagler County,” Administrator Heidi Petito said. “I can’t even imagine the depth of his loss to our community or the pain his children and family must feel. He is already missed.”
The 47-year-old Deltona woman driving the Ford was seriously injured in the crash, the report states.
Barring the hit-and-run driver, everyone involved in the crash had either a helmet or their seat belt equipped, according to FHP.
After the initial collision, the Dodge left the scene, troopers said. It was later found by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in a parking lot, unoccupied and bearing damage consistent with the collision, and has since been taken into evidence by traffic-homicide investigators, according to FHP.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call FHP at *347 or Crimeline at 800-423-8477.
The crash remains an active criminal investigation, the report states.
According to the FHP, the road was clear as of Sunday morning.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.