Cámara corporal muestra accidente mortal en cabina de peaje en Daytona Beach Shores; sospechosa acusada de homicidio vehicular

Newly released body camera footage is shedding light on a deadly crash at a Daytona Beach Shores toll booth, as investigators continue to build a case against the suspected driver, 35-year-old Deanna Harrell. According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, deputies began receiving 911 calls reporting a suspected drunk driver in the area shortly before the collision on June 1.

Callers described a pickup truck being driven erratically, with the driver nearly hitting several vehicles and objects along Peninsula Drive. Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the investigation indicates Harrell had been drinking at a bar in Daytona Beach Shores earlier that afternoon before getting behind the wheel.

Dispatch recordings included warnings from witnesses who said the vehicle “almost hit several cars, a mailbox, ran into a trash can,” and was seen making dangerous maneuvers in traffic. Within minutes, the situation turned deadly.

Investigators say 63-year-old toll booth worker Tammy Jo “Tiny Joe” Baker had just entered the booth when the crash occurred. Chitwood said the timeline highlights how quickly the tragedy unfolded.

“At 12:38, she kills our victim,” Chitwood said. “What you’re not going to see in here is that our victim, Tiny Joe Baker, enters that booth at 12:38:05.

At 12:40, she’s dead. At 12:39, EMTs are on location.” Body camera footage released by deputies shows first responders and lifeguards rushing to Baker’s aid moments after impact.

The video also captures the aftermath as authorities located Harrell along the beach, where her vehicle had become stuck in the sand after continuing south following the crash. Deputies said Harrell showed signs of intoxication, including the odor of alcohol.

Chitwood confirmed that she was taken into custody and placed under the Baker Act — a Florida law allowing involuntary psychiatric evaluation — after making threats of self-harm. On Wednesday, the sheriff's office announced that Harrell was placed into custody on her VSO warrants for vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter in the death of Baker.

“If that investigation takes 12 hours or a year, when we get all the facts together, we’re going to bring justice,” Chitwood said. Meanwhile, Baker’s family is mourning the sudden loss of a woman they say was the heart of their family.

Loved ones gathered in Daytona Beach Shores to honor her life near the beach she loved. Relatives described Baker as cheerful, humorous, and deeply devoted to her family.

She was a mother, grandmother, and soon-to-be great-grandmother whose personality left a lasting impression on those around her. “She was always smiling.

She was always happy,” said her daughter, Luella Harris. Her granddaughter, Hannah McBride, said Baker loved being near the ocean and enjoyed her job at the toll booth.

“She lived on the beach, so just working out here was probably a plus,” she said. “You have to know this is a driving beach,” Daytona Beach Shores Mayor Nancy Miller said during a vigil.

Authorities emphasize that while the investigation is ongoing, their goal remains clear: to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure justice for Baker and her family.