ID released of fatal victim in Springfield crash

The Clark County Coroner’s Office has identified the woman killed in a rollover crash near Southern and Clifton avenues early Sunday morning as Clarissa Eileen Smith of Springfield.

According to the Springfield Police Division, Smith, 22, was a passenger in a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit several parked cars.

“It lost control,” said Springfield Police Division Sgt. Merrill Thompson. “It went off the left side of the roadway (and) struck two parked cars. A total of three parked cars were damaged in the accident.”

According to police, officers tried to stop the vehicle before the crash for a traffic stop near North Limestone Street and East McCreight Avenue, but the vehicle sped away. Police started to follow the vehicle, but ended the chase before the vehicle crashed.

“We know speed was a factor, but we are investigating if alcohol or any other drugs were a factor as well,” Thompson said.

Officers were dispatched around 2:30 a.m. for a reported rollover crash with entrapment. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

The driver suffered serious injuries and was transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center before being flown by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital. Springfield police declined to release the identity of the driver Sunday.

Preliminary autopsy results were not available Sunday, said Dr. Richard A. March, the Clark County Coroner.

“The autopsy is being done today,” he said. “We won’t have that (the cause of death) till hopefully tomorrow (today).”

The crash remains under investigation by Springfield police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.