Florida Highway Patrol: Ave Maria woman dies after car crashes into dump truck

The Ave Maria community is mourning the loss of a woman described as beautiful in every way.

Sonia Matilde Velasquez, 54, died Tuesday morning after her car crashed into a dump truck.

Velasquez, a longtime Ave Maria resident, taught Spanish part time at Rhodora J. Donahue Academy, a private Catholic school.

"She had such a great love for the children and teaching them Spanish," said the Rev. Cory Mayer, head pastor of the Ave Maria Parish and the academy.

Mayer said Velasquez lived and worked in the community since about 2009, a few years after Ave Maria was founded.

She was one of the first secretaries to work at the parish and worked with Mayer briefly before going into teaching.

Mayer said Velasquez loved to teach, learn and connect with others.

"She wanted to be a part of your life, and it made you want to be a part of her life," Mayer said. "Her life was all about teaching and making other people's lives better. She loved her family deeply."

The pastor went to the crash site with the family Tuesday and held a prayer vigil. Velasquez was also honored with a prayer at Tuesday's Mass.

"Everyone in the community kneeled and prayed because so many knew her," Mayer said.

Velasquez's husband, children and extended family are grieving and seeking support from their church.

"We know Sonia is enjoying our Lord's love," Mayer said.

The crash is being investigated by Florida Highway Patrol. Velasquez died at the scene of the crash.

According to an FHP report, she ran a stop sign and drove into the path of a Ford Sterling dump truck while turning north onto Camp Keais Road from Pope John Paul II Boulevard.

The driver of the dump truck, Dennis Colina, of Collier County, was not hurt.

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