INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The female driver that was trapped after a fiery crash March 23 has died.
Three people were involved in the crash. Florida Highway Patrol identified them as Cheryle Coons, 58, of Vero Beach, who was hospitalized in critical condition; Shawn Kearby, 36, of Port St. Lucie, who sustained minor injuries; and Ricardo McKenzie, 42, of Vero Beach, who also had minor injuries. All were wearing seat belts.
Coons died from her injuries, according to the spokesman for the Kendall Burn Center in Miami.
Indian River County Sheriff’s Dep. Robert Sunkel was first on scene and quickly learned from witnesses that a female, Coons, was trapped in the vehicle.
Deputy Sunkel broke the window of the car with his baton and opened the passenger side door trying to free Coons. She was trapped in the vehicle by her seat belt, steering wheel and airbag.
Deputy Sunkel made attempts to pull her out but was unsuccessful. Deputy Linda Nolan arrived on scene and began using her fire extinguisher to reduce the flames. The fire extinguisher made little difference as the vehicle continued to burn, according to authorities.
Together, deputies Sunkel and Nolan were able to pull Coons out of the vehicle and get her to safety.
Deputy Nolan sustained burns to her hand which were treated on scene and then at Indian River Medical Center. Coons was airlifted from the scene and taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center in critical condition.
Florida Highway Patrol responded and is investigating the cause of the crash.
Coons was heading south on 66th Avenue and turned out in front the septic tanker truck. After that, the crash caused a collision between the two and a refuse flatbed truck. It was not clear which vehicles Kearby and McKenzie were driving.