Investigators say one car ran a stop sign near I-95; another slammed into a tree along Seabranch Boulevard.
STUART, Fla. — Three young people died in two separate crashes in Martin County between Friday night and Saturday night, authorities said, prompting added counseling at a local high school and renewed pleas from the sheriff for caution on the roads.
Officials said the weekend turned grim after two teenagers were killed late Friday near the Interstate 95 interchange in Hobe Sound and a 20-year-old man died the next night in a fiery single-car wreck south of Stuart. The Florida Highway Patrol is leading both investigations. Sheriff John Budensiek called the back-to-back deaths “a parent’s worst nightmare” and said the first week of the new year began with avoidable tragedies. The school district sent crisis teams to Martin County High School on Monday to support students and staff affected by the loss.
Deputies said the first collision happened around 10 p.m. Friday at the I-95 south off-ramp to SE Bridge Road. According to a preliminary highway patrol report shared Monday, a Toyota sedan driven by a 17-year-old boy exited the ramp “at significant speed” and failed to stop at a posted sign. A westbound SUV struck the Toyota’s driver-side, spinning the sedan across the median and eastbound lanes before it came to rest in a waterlogged grass area. The 17-year-old, a Martin County High School student, and a 16-year-old girl from Jupiter were later pronounced dead at a hospital. A third passenger, a 13-year-old, was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center with serious injuries. The SUV’s 18-year-old driver reported minor or no injuries. “These are avoidable crashes,” Budensiek said, urging families to talk with teens about judgment behind the wheel.
Less than 24 hours later, investigators responded to a separate crash on Seabranch Boulevard near U.S. 1. Deputies said a 20-year-old driver lost control, left the roadway and hit a tree; the car then burst into flames. The driver was taken to a hospital and died Sunday morning, authorities said. A 20-year-old woman who was riding with him escaped the fire with help from a passerby and was flown to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, where she remained in intensive care. Tire marks and the distance from departure to impact led investigators to note “significant speed” before the crash, Sheriff Budensiek said. He added that a camera mounted in the vehicle might have captured the moments before impact, evidence troopers are reviewing.
Officials have not released the names of those killed, saying families have been notified. The Florida Highway Patrol’s narrative for the Hobe Sound wreck describes a failure to obey a stop sign at the I-95 off-ramp Friday night. For the Seabranch Boulevard case, investigators said the driver’s loss of control and speed are central to the inquiry; whether impairment or mechanical failure played any role is unknown. The sheriff’s office said both scenes drew large emergency responses from Martin County Fire Rescue and nearby agencies, with a paramedic among the first witnesses at the Hobe Sound crash beginning CPR immediately after impact.
The deaths shook Martin County High School, where the district said a Crisis Response Team of social service workers and counselors would remain on campus through the week. Counselors followed the student’s schedule to be present in affected classrooms. Vigils and informal gatherings formed over the weekend in Hobe Sound and Stuart as classmates shared photos and messages. On Monday, the sheriff’s office posted that the back-to-back losses marked “a somber start” to the year on county roads and again emphasized attentiveness, speed limits and the risks of late-night driving. Traffic in the area remained heavy during peak hours but the crash scenes had been cleared by Sunday afternoon.
Troopers are reconstructing both collisions and collecting video from nearby businesses and the vehicle camera in the Seabranch case. Autopsy and toxicology findings, if ordered, typically take weeks. No charges have been announced. Any design changes to the Bridge Road interchange or additional enforcement in the area would be handled by state transportation officials and the highway patrol. The sheriff said his office will release updated information as the investigations advance.
Neighbors described the Seabranch stretch as dark after sunset, with sparse lighting between U.S. 1 and residential turnoffs. A commuter who stopped at the fire Saturday night said he and another passerby pulled the passenger away as flames grew. “I just heard the explosion and ran,” he said, adding that firefighters arrived within minutes. Outside Martin County High School on Monday, students left flowers near a campus entrance. “It doesn’t feel real,” one classmate said. “Everyone’s in shock, and teachers are checking in on us.”
The highway patrol continues both inquiries this week. Officials said the next public update is expected after troopers finish diagramming the scenes and reviewing video. The school district said counseling teams will remain available and will reassess needs by Friday. No additional road closures were planned as of Wednesday morning.
Author note: Last updated January 7, 2026.