Third-grade teacher, friend, struck and killed by pickup truck near downtown Melbourne
They became friends at Bayside High School. The two, Rikki Grace and Megan Grace, traveled together and became inseparable as friends who happened to share the same last name.
Now a community of friends and educators is mourning the loss of the pair after they were struck by an out-of-control pickup truck during an evening stroll near downtown Melbourne on Tuesday.
Rikki Grace, a 25-year-old third-grade teacher at Imagine Schools in West Melbourne, died Tuesday night, Melbourne police reported.
Megan Taylor Grace, 26, died Wednesday at Holmes Regional Medical Center. Both lived in Palm Bay, police reported.
"To lose one is horrible, but to lose both ... there are no words," said Ginni Conroy, one of a number of people who took to social media in an outpouring of grief.
"These two were irreplaceable. They were beautiful souls and were truly amazing people," Conroy told FLORIDA TODAY.
School administrators on Wednesday informed staff members, teachers, and others at the 502-student campus about Rikki Grace's death and were working with Brevard Public Schools to provide grief counselors at the private school.
“She was a valued member of our Imagine West Melbourne community for three years and made a lasting impression in the lives of our students. Her death is a tragic loss to her family and the entire Imagine community,” school officials said in a statement.
“Our focus is devoted to providing a calm and supportive environment needed for our students’ social and emotional well-being,” said Marisa Preuss, chief communications officer for the school.
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Tributes continued to turn up on social media for both women.
"Heaven received a new angel last night. My heart hurts so bad on this one. I loved you. You were like a little sister to me," one friend, Jared Kaze, wrote on Facebook.
The fatal crash happened about 7 p.m. Tuesday, a short distance from the Chart House restaurant, 2250 Front St. Melbourne police said officers were called to investigate a report of two pedestrians being struck by a Ford pickup traveling north on Front Street.
Police said the women were walking on the sidewalk, along the east side of the roadway. Investigators said the 29-year-old pickup driver lost control, causing the vehicle to veer toward the sidewalk.
Several witnesses saw the incident. “It’s a hydroplane,” a witness parked nearby told a 911 operator.
Both women were unconscious when officers arrived to investigate. A tiny Yorkie dog belonging to one of the women ran off but was later located.
No charges have been filed, as the investigation continues.
"It is too early to determine if charges will be filed," said Cmdr. Mark Renkens, spokesperson for the Melbourne Police Department.
Memorials for the women have not yet been announced.
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or [email protected]. Twitter: @JDGallop.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: West Melbourne teacher, friend killed after pickup loses control
