A 25-year-old executive chef of a North Naples restaurant has died unexpectedly.

Morgan Couch, who worked at J. Alexander’s in North Naples, died May 20. A GoFundMe page for Couch’s family said he was killed in a single-vehicle collision.

Florida Highway Patrol provided the Naples Daily News with a report of a one-vehicle crash May 20 along Alligator Alley in Broward County that killed a 25-year-old Naples man.

The report ― which does not name the driver because troopers said the investigation is ongoing ― said a witness described an eastbound vehicle in the left lane along Interstate 75 near mile marker 49. The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and veered off to the right shoulder, entering the right grassy shoulder and losing control, the witness told FHP.

The vehicle then entered the right grassy shoulder and lost control, continuing under the Snake Road bridge underpass and sideswiping its right front with the first bridge support concrete pillar. The vehicle’s front then struck the second bridge support concrete pillar, causing it to overturn, the report said.

The driver was ejected onto the right grassy shoulder of eastbound I-75. The vehicle came to final rest on its roof facing south, blocking the right lane and right shoulder. The vehicle then caught on fire and became fully engulfed.

The vehicle’s driver was pronounced dead at 9:11 p.m., FHP reported.

The GoFundMe under the name Sepelio has been set up to help the family with transporting his body to Kentucky and funeral expenses. About $1,000 was raised by Wednesday morning, with a goal of raising $6,000 for defray funeral expenses and other costs.

The GoFundMe is https://www.gofundme.com/f/qjcxjb-sepelio for anyone who wants to donate.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at Clark Legacy Center-Brannon Crossing, Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Morgan Couch was ‘excited to take Naples by storm’

Before working at J. Alexander’s Naples location, he previously worked at the chain’s King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Lexington, Kentucky, locales. In January, Couch said he was “excited to take Naples by storm.”

During that interview with the Daily News, Couch mentioned the highlight of his day as the “tasting plate,” where the entire culinary team meets while prepping to ensure the consistency in quality of everything from soups to sauces.

More: New restaurant on U.S. 41 in North Naples opens for lunch and dinner: What to know

An obituary in the Jessamine Journal in Kentucky said he loved his job, “a career he gave his all to.”

“Morgan had a passion for music, food, and the outdoors, finding joy in every note, flavor, and natural wonder,” the obit said.

Survivors include his parents, Jessica and Erick Eujenio Couch, and his brother, Jakob Couch.

Diana Biederman is NDN’s restaurant and food writer. Connect via diana.biederman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Popular new Naples restaurant’s top chef dead at 25