UPDATE FROM THE FAMILY: “No one seems to know this but it was also her 70th birthday. She was on the way home from dinner for her birthday. She was the monarch of our family and she has had a condo in cocoa beach all my life (31y). Her life was worth these details being told.”
According to police reports, 36-year-old Mark Vannicola was the driver in a New Years Eve crash on HWY 520 just in front of Cape Canaveral hospital.
Cocoa Beach Police released a statement saying that at 9:08 PM, Officers with the Cocoa Beach Police Department responded to a report of a Vehicle Crash with Injuries on West Cocoa Beach Causeway (SR520), just west of Bicentennial Park in Cocoa Beach. Upon arrival, Officers’ located two vehicles that were involved, along with an extended debris field present on the roadway. Each vehicle had a driver and occupant that had sustained injuries. Preliminary results are that this was a rear end collision and speed may have been a factor.
Brevard County Sheriff’s responded to the scene to assist. Deputy Hitchcock reported that on arrival, he made contact with Mr. Mark Vannicola (Defendant) who was the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the crash, involving serious injuries to two individuals. Mr. Vannicola appeared highly intoxicated, he had slurred speech, bloodshot, watery glassy eyes, and the strong odor of alcoholic beverage was emitting from his person.
