May A1A crash investigation ongoing following death of Indian River Shores man, 89

Corey Arwood, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read

INDIAN RIVER SHORES — Detectives are still investigating a crash that led to the death of an 89-year-old John’s Island resident in mid-May.

Christopher Ingraham, of the 400 block of Silver Moss Drive, died days following the May 10 crash on State Road A1A, a medical examiner said.

Dr. Raman Baldzizhar performed an autopsy May 19 concluding Ingraham’s May 18 death was a result of injuries in what was classified as a motor vehicle accident along with pre-existing heart problems.

A police report shows the two-car crash happened around 8:45 p.m. May 10 in the 6400 block of S.R. A1A near Bermuda Bay Lane just south of the John’s Island South Oceanside and Riverside gates, and roughly a half mile north of the Indian River Shores Public Safety Department.

An 89-year-old Indian River Shores man died from injuries sustained in a May 10 car crash on State Road A1A near his John's Island home, medical officials said.
An 89-year-old Indian River Shores man died from injuries sustained in a May 10 car crash on State Road A1A near his John's Island home, medical officials said.

The two vehicles involved were a convertible Mercedes Benz E350, occupied by a woman who police have not identified, and a Lexus ES350, occupied by Ingraham and his wife Frances Ingraham.

The Lexus was “struck from behind by the Mercedes Benz, while both vehicles were traveling north on S.R. A1A,” Indian River Shores Officer Edward Ryer stated in the report.

Sgt. Kyle Smith said Tuesday that so far no charges have arisen from the crash as detectives wait on results of forensic evidence evaluations taken from the crash scene.

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“We’re just waiting now for all of the evidence processing,” said Smith.

Details of the crash in a redacted police report show officers called to the scene found the Ingrahams' Lexus stopped facing northeast in the guardhouse exit of Bermuda Bay Lane.

It had what was described as heavy rear-end damage from the initial impact and significant damage from a second impact with a stone wall lining the exit of Bermuda Bay properties.

The convertible Mercedes coupe had significant front-end damage and was stopped with its top down and driver’s side airbag deployed facing southwest roughly 20 feet off the southbound lane of S.R. A1A in landscaped bushes.

Police reported the woman was found sitting in its front passenger seat.

All three people were taken to hospitals, but the extent of the Mercedes’ driver’s injuries were unclear along with that of Frances Ingraham.

Indian River Shores Public Safety Department is a police, emergency rescue and fire agency.

Several attempts were made to reach its spokesperson Chief Rich Rosell who did not respond to requests for comment.

Property, tax and court records show following their marriage around 2017 Ingraham lived in the John’s Island home, owned by Frances Ingraham, formerly Frances Walker, since roughly 1999.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Indian River Shores police probe crash that killed John's Island man