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NEW: Teen hurt in Delray crash out of coma, can't speak, father says

Palm Beach Post - 8/25/2018

Aug. 25--Farrah Fox, the college student severely hurt in a crash after an off-duty Palm Beach County deputy reportedly ran a stop sign, is out of a coma, her father said Friday.

On July 15, Delray Beach police said, Michael D'Avanzo was traveling 40 mph in a 25 mph zone. He told officers he didn't see the stop sign at Northeast First Avenue and Northeast Third Street. His 2018 Chevrolet Silverado pickup struck the Chevrolet Tahoe carrying Fox, 18, and Dylan De Giuseppe, 20.

De Giuseppe, who lives west of Boca Raton, was released from the hospital July 19. Six passengers were in the cab of D'Avanzo's pickup. The deputy and two others were treated at the crash site for minor injuries and two others were taken to Delray Medical for minor injuries and then released. Air bags had deployed and everyone wore safety belts, police said.

Farrah, who plans to be an aeronautics engineer, came out of her coma about a week ago, but has not been able to talk so the family doesn't know "how much she understands," her father said.

"She's continuing a slow recovery," Ira Fox said. "She's getting physical therapy five days a week. Some days are better than others. Her mother's by her bedside every day.

Fox said doctors had told him his daughter likely would come out of the coma. But, he said, "the uncertainty is how much we're going to get her back over the next 18 months to two years."

A web page to raise money for Farrah was up to about $30,000 on Friday.

Delray Beach police said this week the investigation of the crash still is open.

D'Avanzo, 25, joined PBSO in January 2017 and is a road-patrol deputy, the sheriff's office said. A spokeswoman said Friday he remains on active duty.

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