A driver passed out, lost control of his car, smashed into a rehab center and struck a patient Tuesday morning in Merritt Island, troopers say.

  • Patient, driver in stable condition
  • Woman was asleep when car smashed into her room

At about 7:55 a.m., troopers received a call that a driver, Matthew Anthony, was going down Lean Street in a 2008 Mercury four-door car when he passed out, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The 35-year-old Cocoa resident drove through a fence, a grassy area and then into the Island Health and Rehabilitation Center on 125 Alma Blvd., troopers said.  


The patient and driver have minor injuries but are in stable condition. (Brevard County Fire Rescue)

Teresa Bogener, 64, also of Cocoa was sleeping in a room at the rehab center when Anthony's car smashed into the room and struck her.

Both Bogener and Anthony were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center for minor injuries and are in stable condition, the FHP said.

"Fortunately, we do have two sister care centers nearby, so I think we will have to move seven of our residents so we can make repairs to the building, but they were unharmed,"said Jennifer Trapp, director of the rehab center.

Troopers think Anthony may have been impaired by drugs, and charges are pending once results of a blood sample come back.

The crash remains under investigation.

CORRECTION: Due to incorrect information provided by the FHP, a previous version of this story misstated the name of the driver of the Mercury. It has been changed in the story.