Crime & Safety
UPDATE: Sarasota Woman Dies After I-75 Crash
The Lexus involved in the single-car crash spun out then went airborne before hitting a tree.
This story updates the condition and identity of the driver.
A 29-year-old Sarasota woman died Monday at Bayonet Point Hospital after a crash on Interstate 75 North in Pasco County Sunday, according to media reports.
The driver's name is Melanie Caporale, Tampa Bay Times reports.
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Caporale, driving a 1997 Lexus ES 300, was going northbound on I-75, north of Pasco County Road 578 in the right lane, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
For unknown reasons, the driver failed to maintain control of her car and struck a ditch on the right side of the highway, which caused the car to rotate slightly clockwise, then counterclockwise before going airborne when it struck a tree, according to Highway Patrol. She was not wearing a seatbelt, according to highway patrol.
Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Once the car struck the tree, the Lexus rotated 360 degrees and came to a rest northbound.
The crash remains under investigation and Highway Patrol says details of the incident will likely change once the investigation is completed. Alcohol results are pending in the investigation as well.
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