Pedestrian killed in Springfield was crossing street near her home

Jessica Orozco, Springfield News-Sun, Ohio
·1 min read

Oct. 4—A woman who died after being struck by an SUV on Tuesday was a pedestrian walking near her home at the time, according to a Springfield Police Division crash report.

Friends, family and a co-worker identified the woman as 61-year-old Kim Banzhof, who worked at Rocking Horse Community Health Center.

She died in a Dayton hospital after being struck by a white Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Chelsea Lemaster around 7:48 a.m. on the 100 block of East Euclid Avenue, according to the report. Lemaster lives on the same street, according to the report.

Banzhof was crossing the two-way street from the south to the north when she was hit by the car traveling westbound, according to the report. Lemaster was driving 42 mph in a posted 25 mph and was uninjured, according to the report.

Medics took her to Springfield Regional Medical Center, and she was immediately flown by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital, police said previously. She died there.

Nettie Carter-Smith, director of community relations at Rocking Horse, said Banzhof was a referral specialist at Rocking Horse and was loved by everyone. She said she was "just a wonderful person" and employees left work early on Tuesday following the news.

According to the crash report, the investigation is ongoing.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated from an earlier version in which a police report listed the victim's name incorrectly.)