Family Killed In Howard Frankland Bridge Crash

A father, mother and son from Leesburg are dead and a Wesley Chapel man behind bars following a fatal wreck on the Howard Frankland Bridge Friday night.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Joshua Eric Burbank, 25, of Wesley Chapel was heading east on the bridge around 9:40 p.m. in a Honda Civic. Burbank was in the inside central travel lane.

At that time, a GMC Sierra driven by a 76-year-old Leesburg man was also heading east in the inside travel lane. A 73-year-old woman and 52-year-old man were also inside the Sierra.

Troopers say Burbank failed to maintain control of his car, entered the Sierra’s travel lane and struck the right rear of the vehicle. The Sierra rotated clockwise and then overturned several times, struck a concrete barrier wall and landed in the water below.

All three people inside the Sierra died, a highway patrol report said. The victims’ identities have not yet been released. They were a father, mother and son, according to Sgt. Steve Gaskins.

Burbank was arrested on three counts of DUI manslaughter, one count of DUI property damage and careless driving.

The crash closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 275 until early Saturday morning.

No further information is available at this time.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol