Driver kills beach booth worker before truck plunges straight into the sea

A Florida woman has been detained after police allege she drove into a toll booth, fatally striking the attendant, before then driving into the ocean in Daytona Beach Shores.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said the driver, who was not immediately identified, struck a beach ramp toll booth, which had an attendant inside, on Monday.

The attendant, identified by NBC 6 South Florida as Tammy Jo Baker, died from her injuries. Baker was a couple weeks shy of her 63rd birthday, according to Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood, per the outlet.

Vehicle Plunges Into the Atlantic Ocean

After hitting the toll booth, the truck continued onto the beach and into the ocean, authorities said. Footage taken on the beach, which was reported by WKMG, shows the truck driving across the sand and into the water before coming to a stop.

An image of the truck released by the sheriff's office shows the front of the vehicle was badly damaged as a result of the crash.

As a result of the crash, authorities have closed the beach ramp "until further notice," per the sheriff's office, which noted that the "driver has been detained as a thorough crash investigation is conducted."

Suspect Attempted to Flee the Scene

Chitwood told reporters that witnesses alleged the female driver of the truck tried to flee but became stuck in the sand, NBC 6 reported.

"The suspect in this case, she's being tested for impairment, we're gonna do a blood draw and a breathalyzer on her and see what charges stem from that," Chitwood said, per the outlet.

"I can just tell you being up at the truck there's a heavy odor, for me, a heavy odor of alcohol you could smell from the passenger side of the vehicle."

The driver was later identified as Deanna Harrell of Ormond Beach, Fla., WESH reported, citing Chitwood.

According to the outlet, he said Harrell "is in custody under Florida's Baker Act," which allows individuals to be held for up to 72 hours for mental health examination.