A tragic incident unfolded yesterday at St. Francis de Sales Church in Coventry Township when a 72-year-old Barberton woman was hit by a car and subsequently passed away from her injuries. According to Cleveland19, the collision occurred around 12:05 p.m. in the church parking lot on Manchester Rd, with a 2017 Buick SUV, driven by a 90-year-old woman, striking the victim.
Following the incident, the victim was transported to a local hospital by Coventry Township firefighters but was pronounced dead upon arrival. While charges are pending, details provided by the Summit County Sheriff's Department note the ongoing investigation being conducted by the Summit Metro Crash Response Team, WKYC reports.
Addressing the somber accident, the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland released a statement, saying, "The staff of St. Francis and their entire church community are heartbroken by this terrible accident." In their statement, obtained by Cleveland19, they invite "everyone to keep all those impacted by this tragedy in their prayers."
Neither the name of the deceased nor details regarding potential charges for the elderly driver have been released at this stage. Confirming the SUV's driver was indeed 90 years old, News 5 Cleveland has also contributed to outlining the ongoing state of the investigation, with no clear direction yet on whether charges will be pursued. The tight-knit community, often attending the Sunday service at St. Francis de Sales, now finds itself mourning amidst hopes for clarity and solace as inquiries move forward.
