Crystal Rains, 32, of Lebanon, died early Saturday morning after being ejected from an overturned Chevrolet Cruze on Shaker Road in Franklin Township — and the driver fled the scene before troopers arrived, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
A 32-year-old Lebanon woman is dead after the car she was riding in overturned on a quiet stretch of Franklin Township road early Saturday morning — and the person behind the wheel didn’t stay to help. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the driver fled before troopers ever arrived.
What Happened
The Warren County Communications Center received a 911 call at approximately 2:48 a.m. Saturday, reporting a serious-injury crash on Shaker Road near State Route 122 in Franklin Township.
According to troopers’ investigation, a tan 2016 Chevrolet Cruze was heading southbound on Shaker Road when it left the roadway, struck two mailboxes, and flipped over.
Crystal Rains, 32, was riding as a passenger in the car. She was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, but it was too late — Rains was pronounced dead at the site by the Warren County Coroner’s Office.
Driver Fled Before Help Arrived
What’s drawing the most outrage in this case is what happened next: the driver of the Chevrolet Cruze didn’t stick around. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, they left the scene of the crash, leaving Rains behind.
Authorities have not released the driver’s identity or explained the circumstances of their departure. Investigators are now working two angles at once — figuring out what caused the car to leave the roadway and flip in the first place, and tracking down the driver who left a woman dead on the side of the road.
How You Can Help
The crash remains under active investigation, and troopers are asking for the public’s help. Anyone with information — even something that seems minor — is urged to contact the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Lebanon Post at 513-932-4444.
