CAPE CORAL, Fla. – A deadly crash in Cape Coral has left one woman dead and a man under arrest after a late-night incident at Tower Drive and Santa Rosa Court on Sunday, September 28.
The victim has been identified as Debra Cooper, a woman in her mid-60s. According to investigators, Cooper was walking her dog with a flashlight in the eastbound lane of Tower Drive when she was struck by a white Dodge work van traveling westbound.
Cape Coral Fire and Lee County EMS responded at 8:53 p.m. Cooper was transported to Gulf Coast Medical Center as a “Trauma Alert,” but despite emergency efforts, she was pronounced deceased at 9:26 p.m.
The driver of the van, 27-year-old Rodrigo Pereira, showed signs of impairment at the scene. Officers noted an open Bud Light can in the vehicle, and Pereira reportedly had alcohol on his breath and was slurring his speech. Though he complied with field sobriety tests, he refused to provide a breath sample.
Investigators confirmed Pereira’s driver’s license had been suspended following a prior DUI arrest on May 4, 2025. He also did not own the van he was operating, which sustained an estimated $1,500 in damage.
Pereira was arrested and now faces multiple charges, including:
- DUI Manslaughter
- Driving Under the Influence
- DUI Property Damage
- Driving While License Suspended Involving Death or Serious Injury
Traffic homicide detectives continue to investigate the case.