CALHOUN, La. — A 16-year-old boy driving relatives from Texas to a vacation in Disney World apparently fell asleep at the wheel, causing the sport utility vehicle to veer off the highway and roll over, killing three children and two adults, authorities said Thursday.
The teen, who had a driver’s license but was not identified, was charged with reckless operation of a vehicle following the crash on Interstate 20 near Calhoun at 11 p.m. Wednesday, said State Police spokesman Michael Reichardt.
The driver and two additional passengers suffered minor injuries.
Authorities identified the adults killed as Michael and Trudi Hardman of Terrell, Texas. The children killed were ages 4, 7, and 15. Their names were not immediately released. None of those killed wore seat belts, officials said. Reichardt said all the children in the vehicle were related to one another as siblings or half-siblings.