VERO BEACH, Fla. — Investigators in Vero Beach are working to identify the driver involved in a fatal crash that left a woman dead and an entire neighborhood without power.
The crash occurred just before 10 p.m. Wednesday night on 43rd Avenue. When officers arrived, they discovered the passenger, 26-year-old Crystina Atkison, dead inside the vehicle. The driver, however, was nowhere to be found.
WATCH: Chief gives update on fatal crash
According to Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey, Atkison was the owner of the car but was buckled into the passenger seat at the time of the crash. Police believe wet road conditions and excessive speed may have contributed to the accident. The impact was so severe that the car snapped a utility pole in half before coming to rest in a wooded area off the road.
Initially, authorities thought the driver might have been ejected from the vehicle, but further investigation revealed that the driver had instead fled the scene.
"It was a very high-impact incident, and the person had to have seen Ms. Atkinson become incapacitated," Currey said. "For that person to leave without at least calling and standing by, that's very concerning."
Police said they have few leads at this time and are urging anyone who may have seen Atkinson before the crash or has information about the driver to come forward.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vero Beach Police Department.
