A 19-year-old woman from Collier County died in a single-vehicle crash involving her Tesla on U.S. Highway 27 in Palm Beach County on October 13. The vehicle veered off the road, struck utility poles, rolled over, and caught fire. Passing motorists pulled her from the wreckage, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Paris Huggins, a 19-year-old from Ochopee in Collier County, was driving her Tesla southbound on U.S. 27 near mile marker 63, in the 13000 block close to South Bay, shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday, October 13. For undetermined reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway onto the shoulder.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office report, Huggins' Tesla first struck a concrete utility pole, then rolled over several times. It subsequently hit a wooden utility pole and rotated counterclockwise before catching fire. The crash occurred in western Palm Beach County, an area known for its rural stretches of the highway.
Passing motorists responded quickly, pulling Huggins from the burning vehicle. Despite their efforts, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators do not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident. The sheriff's report did not specify whether Huggins was wearing a seatbelt.
This fatal accident highlights the dangers of high-speed rural roads like U.S. 27, though no further details on contributing factors have been released as the investigation remains ongoing.