Brazil Highway Crash Kills 5 From One Family on BR-393
ROAD SAFETY · BRAZIL
Key Facts
- —The country The BR-393 is a federal highway linking southern Rio de Janeiro state with the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais. Family cars and freight lorries share it.
- —Why it matters Five members of one family from Juiz de Fora died on their way to Paraty, a colonial coastal town popular with foreign visitors.
- —Why now The crash came at the start of a long weekend. Monday 12 October is a national holiday, and families head for the coast.
- —What happened Early on Saturday 10 October a lorry carrying ceramic flooring overturned at km 252 near Barra do Piraí. Four cars were involved; five people died and nine were hurt.
- —What it means for you Anyone driving in Rio de Janeiro state this holiday weekend should expect heavy traffic and check Federal Highway Police updates before setting out.
- —Still open Police have not said what made the lorry overturn or which vehicle struck first. The 88th Civil Police precinct in Barra do Piraí is investigating.
A Brazil highway crash killed five members of one family early on Saturday 10 October, when a lorry overturned on the BR-393 near Barra do Piraí in Rio de Janeiro state.
Four cars were caught up in the collision at km 252, and nine more people were hurt, according to the state fire service.
For foreign readers, including Americans who drive to Paraty or the Costa Verde, it is a stark reminder of the risks on Brazil’s busy two-lane federal roads at the start of a holiday weekend.
The family, from the city of Juiz de Fora in Minas Gerais, was travelling to Paraty, a colonial port town on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state that draws visitors from around the world.
What Happened on the BR-393
The Federal Highway Police (PRF), the national force that patrols Brazil’s federal roads, said a lorry overturned on the carriageway and four cars were involved.
The crash happened near the Trevo do Matadouro, one of the junctions into Barra do Piraí, in the region Brazilians call the Sul Fluminense.
According to the PRF, as reported by G1, all five victims were in one car heading towards Volta Redonda. The lorry was travelling the other way, towards Juiz de Fora.
The lorry was carrying ceramic flooring, according to G1 and O Globo. The highway was closed in both directions while rescuers worked.
Agência Brasil, the federal public news agency, reported that at 9:20 a.m. firefighters were still freeing two victims from the wreckage. At 10:27 a.m. crews began righting the trailer.
The bodies were taken to the Instituto Médico Legal, the state forensic institute, in Volta Redonda. Traffic was fully released at about 11:40 a.m.
In a separate crash the same morning, one person died on the Presidente Dutra highway at São João de Meriti, near Rio de Janeiro, the PRF said.
A Family Bound for the Coast
G1 and the Juiz de Fora daily Tribuna de Minas named three of the dead as Anderson Nocelli Clemente, his wife Jussara Oliveira Tertuliano Clemente and their daughter Sarah Nocelli.
Also killed were Jussara’s sister, Marcela Tertuliano, and her son, Bernardo Tertuliano Visona, according to G1 and Rádio Itatiaia. The specialist site Estradas described the group as two sisters, their children and one husband.
Anderson and Jussara owned a school in the Borboleta district of Juiz de Fora, G1 reported. He had also worked as a manager at the Zona da Mata office of Fiemg, the Minas Gerais federation of industries, which issued a note of condolence.
Sarah was a pupil at the Colégio Santa Catarina, which sent its sympathy to the school community. Marcela worked for a dental radiology firm.
Bernardo rode in youth competitions for the Mangalarga Marchador, a Brazilian horse breed. The breeders’ association, the ABCCMM, mourned his passion for the sport.
Juiz de Fora is one of the largest cities in Minas Gerais. Schools, employers and sports groups there have published messages of grief, G1 reported.
The Injured and the Investigation
The fire service, the Corpo de Bombeiros, first gave the number of injured as 14 and later corrected it to nine, G1 reported.
Five of the nine declined treatment at the scene. Four were taken to hospitals in Barra do Piraí, including the Santa Casa. Agência Brasil said one was a child aged eight.
Agência Brasil and O Globo described the injuries as light. No update on their condition had been released by Saturday afternoon.
The forensic team of Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police, the state’s investigative force, was called to the scene. The 88th precinct in Barra do Piraí is in charge of the inquiry.
Minas Gerais is also mourning three police officers killed in an air accident, as reported in Brazil Police Plane Crash Kills 3 Officers in Minas.
What It Means for You
Monday 12 October is the national holiday of Our Lady of Aparecida, Brazil’s patron saint, and also Children’s Day. Many families travel over the long weekend.
If you plan to drive in Rio de Janeiro or Minas Gerais, expect slow traffic on routes to the coast. Take regular breaks and avoid driving when tired.
In an emergency in Brazil, dial 191 for the Federal Highway Police, 192 for the SAMU ambulance service and 193 for the fire service.
The BR-393 reopened about six hours after the crash, according to Estradas. Our guide Brazil Security and Crime Explained 2026 covers wider safety questions for travellers.
What Is Not Known
Police have not said what caused the lorry to overturn, which vehicle struck first, or whether speed, fatigue or the road surface played a part.
The exact time is also unclear. Agência Brasil put the crash at 6:30 a.m., while the specialist site Estradas put it at about 5:40 a.m.
There is no public word on the lorry driver’s condition, and the ages of the victims have not been officially released.
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Brazil highway crash happen?
At km 252 of the BR-393, near the Trevo do Matadouro junction outside Barra do Piraí, in southern Rio de Janeiro state. The road links the Paraíba valley with Juiz de Fora in Minas Gerais.
Who were the victims?
According to G1, Tribuna de Minas and Rádio Itatiaia, they were Anderson Nocelli Clemente, his wife Jussara, their daughter Sarah, his sister-in-law Marcela Tertuliano and her son Bernardo. All five were from Juiz de Fora.
Is the BR-393 open again?
Yes. The Federal Highway Police closed it in both directions after the crash and traffic was fully released at about 11:40 a.m. local time on Saturday 10 October.
Sources: Federal Highway Police (PRF) and Rio de Janeiro fire service statements as reported by Agência Brasil; G1 Sul do Rio; G1 Zona da Mata; O Globo; Tribuna de Minas; Rádio Itatiaia; Estradas.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief