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Melbourne police investigate head-on crash that killed Vero Beach woman

Crash occurred Saturday on North Harbor City Boulevard

Melbourne police (File)

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Melbourne police believe drugs and/or alcohol could have been a factor in a head-on crash that took a Vero Beach woman’s life on Saturday, according to a news release.

Officers responded to the scene of the crash on North Harbor City Boulevard near Nelson Avenue, from where the 67-year-old woman was taken to a hospital by Brevard County Fire Rescue and later succumbed to her injuries, police said.

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Investigators said the woman had been driving a Toyota SUV southbound on North Harbor City Boulevard when a 61-year-old Palm Bay man in a Nissan pickup truck lost control while traveling northbound — trying to change lanes at a high rate of speed — entering the opposing travel lanes and striking the SUV head-on.

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The woman was identified as Patsy Ward, the release states.

At the time of this report, we will withhold from sharing the given identity of the pickup truck driver due to the nature of the investigation in progress.

Anyone with information regarding the fatal crash was urged to contact traffic homicide investigators by calling (321) 616-6116.

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

Note: Due to the information provided, this map depicts the general area of the crash and not necessarily its exact location.


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