It is unclear if alcohol was involved, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – Three people died in a head-on collision this morning (July 2) that tied up traffic for hours, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Elisa Chantel Riquelme, 28, of Zephyrhills, Matthew Alfonso Garcia, 24, of Riverview, and Corey Samuel Dormany, 24, of Seffner, died at the scene, troopers said.

The accident happened about 5:44 a.m. on U.S. 301 north of Stacy Road in Hillsborough County. Ms. Riquelme was driving a 2005 Volkswagen Beetle south on U.S. 301. She was passing another car and went into the northbound lane where she collided head-on with a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Mr. Garcia. Mr. Garcia, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the Ford, troopers said.

A 2013 Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by Gordon Jones Price of Tampa was behind the Explorer. The F-150 rear-ended the Explorer, which burst into flames, troopers said. A 1994 Chevrolet S-10 driven by Stevie Tyrone Gainey, 58, of Tampa, was behind the F-150 and rear ended it.

The drivers of the Beetle and Explorer died as did Mr. Dormany, who was a passenger in the Explorer. Gainey and Bradley Ferris, 58, of Tampa, a passenger in the F-150 were taken to Florida Hospital with minor injuries. Price and another passenger in the F-150 were not injured, troopers said.

U.S. 301 was closed for several hours after the crash.

No charges were filed.

For information about the Florida Highway Patrol, go to flhsmv.gov.

Florida Highway Patrol | Traffic Death | Head-On Crash | Elisa Chantel Riquelme | Corey Samuel Dormany | TB Reporter

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