2 dead, including 12-year-old girl, after crash along Harborview Rd in Charlotte County

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. —

A fatal crash on Harborview Road in Charlotte County Saturday night resulted in the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 25-year-old driver, leaving the community mourning and concerned about the dangerous curve known as "Deadman's Corner".

Gulf Coast News has learned that the girl was a student at Punta Gorda Middle School.

"I had to have heard at least 50 sirens, and I knew it was not going to be good," Debbie Sharron, a Port Charlotte resident, said.

The crash occurred around 10 p.m. when a truck leaving the scene of a crash on Kings Highway and Veterans Boulevard crossed the center line while navigating a right curve on Harborview Road. The truck collided head-on with an oncoming car, killing the truck driver and the young passenger. The car's 44-year-old driver was critically injured.

Vickie Brown, another Port Charlotte resident, expressed her sorrow, saying, "Very, very sad, I feel sorry for the family."

Residents living nearby are familiar with the dangers of this road. Debbie Sharron reflected on the crash, saying, "It just made me realize, a split second is all it took somebody to cross over, and that’s what they said."

Vickie Brown, who has lived off Harborview Road for 30 years, described the scene as "horrifying, another one, that is all you can say, just another one." She noted the frequency of accidents around the curve, saying, "It’s a very bad corner, blind corner," and added, "A lot of people speed down that road."

Neighbors refer to the curve as "Deadman's Corner" due to the numerous accidents that occur there, and they hope for changes in the future. The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash.

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