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7-year-old dies after being hit with golf cart driven by 3-year-old, Florida cops say

The crash happened around 4 p.m. on Monday, July 17, near this intersection on Orange River Boulevard, northeast of Fort Myers, the Florida Highway Patrol reports.
The crash happened around 4 p.m. on Monday, July 17, near this intersection on Orange River Boulevard, northeast of Fort Myers, the Florida Highway Patrol reports. Street View image from March 2022. © 2023 Google

A toddler driving a golf cart failed to navigate a turn, resulting in a 7-year-old being struck and killed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Identities of the two boys have not been released.

The crash happened around 4 p.m. on Monday, July 17, at a rural home on Orange River Boulevard northeast of Fort Myers.

Investigators say the 3-year-old was driving the golf cart on private property when he reached “a right curve near the property residence.”

A 7-year-old boy “was standing in the front yard” when he was hit by the front of the golf cart, officials said.

The boy “sustained critical injuries, was transported to an area hospital and pronounced deceased,” officials said.

The 3-year-old was not hurt, officials said. He was not wearing a helmet or seat belt, officials said.

Both boys are from Fort Myers, which is about 125 miles south of Tampa.

The crash remains under investigation, the highway patrol said.

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This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 5:20 AM with the headline "7-year-old dies after being hit with golf cart driven by 3-year-old, Florida cops say."

MP
Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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