Police identify Vero Beach woman found dead in car that crashed into canal

VERO BEACH — Police still don't know what time an SUV overturned in a canal, killing the woman driving, before it was discovered slightly underwater early Monday.

The woman killed in the crash was identified Tuesday as 40-year-old Vero Beach resident Patricia Castle.

Her silver SUV was spotted about 6:15 a.m. north of State Road 60 at 20th Avenue, across the street from St. Helen Catholic Church.

The vehicle was westbound on S.R. 60 when it went around the guardrail on the right side of the road and tumbled in to the steep canal between the two one-way sections of 20th Avenue, said Cpl. Darrell Rivers, of the Vero Beach Police Department.

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Castle was the only person inside. The vehicle was on its roof, the front seats underwater.

Police said it appeared the crash occurred either very late Sunday or early Monday. It rained most of that night.

An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday to determine the cause of death.

The crash remains under investigation.

Eric Rogers contributed to this report.

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