Samantha Romero
•1/25/2026

An 18-year-old driver died early Sunday morning in a high-speed crash on Piper Road, north of Jones Loop, in Punta Gorda, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred just after 1 a.m.
FHP says the teenager, driving at a high speed, lost control at a curve, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and crash into a utility pole and a fence.
The impact was severe enough to overturn the car, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gulf Coast News is working to find out the identity of the teen who died.
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