A noon time crash Tuesday claimed the life of a community service aide with the Fort Myers Police Dept. The accident occurred at 12:10 p.m. at the intersection of Lee Blvd. and Westgate Blvd. near the boundary of Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers.

The victim was identified as Crystal M. Ruiz, 25, of Fort Myers. She was on her way to work when the crash occurred.

The Fort Myers Police Dept. said in a report that she was driving a 2002 Honda Accord which has about $15,000 in damages.

The driver of the other vehicle was Richard Thomas Mauro Jr. 42 Cape Coral. He was treated with minor injuries at Lee Memorial Hospital. He was driving a 2004 Ford Explorer that received about 8,000 in damages.

Ruiz had been working for the department since since the fall of 2008. Her job was to respond to non-violent calls and traffic accidents.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Mauro was traveling east on Lee Blvd., approaching the intersection of Westgate Blvd. while Ruiz’s vehicle was going north on Westgate Blvd., approaching the intersection of Lee Blvd.

Police said she attempted to turn left onto Lee Blvd. and the Mauro vehicle attempted to proceed through the intersection. The two vehicles collided, the report said, with the front of Mauro’s vehicle impacting the left side of the victim’s car. Mauro’s vehicle rotated counter-clockwise and overturned onto its roof, coming to rest facing west on the east side of the intersection.

Police said Ruiz’s vehicle rotated counter-clockwise and traveled onto the northeast should, coming to rest facing south.

According to crash investigator Cpl. J.E. Gissendaner, it is not known what the colors of the traffic signals were at the time of the crash, therefore it is unknown who violated the signal.

The Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call them at 239-344-1730, Ext. 1136 with any information.

It was the second fatal accident in the Lehigh area in a week. A woman was killed Sunday in a crash in Lehigh.